54. I Am Never Going To Be Some "New True Parents" (May 3, 2008)

Hyung Jin Moon
May 3, 2008
Partial Transcription by Shahram Sedehi

... When I am given this role, and everybody's watching, there is a lot of pressure to start feeling that, (I) have to be some "new true parent". I am never going to be some "new true parents". I am always going to be a son to True parents, a dad to my children and husband to my wife. I try to keep it in perspective in my own mind, meaning: It is not because of me that Father has asked me to take this position, not because of my talents or abilities. This is because, I am only a tool, a piece in the puzzle that God is asking us to contribute to.

It is so important in our lives, that we are able to do this... I told the media... I am deliberately trying to reduce my power... I know how that "ring of power" is so dangerous; (like in the movie Lord of the Rings) you put that on, and you start believing, and you start getting possessed by it...

In all that we do, we try to reduce the possibility of absolute power. Even in my role as the president, I am trying to acknowledge, I am no where near True Parents; only True Parents could have wielded that power, only they were able to control that. No other person in the history of our movement would be able to control that power...

Our whole plan is still a vision, it has not come to pass yet… right now in our team, with Kook Jin Hyung,... with our administrative team, we are starting to analyze, we are not even done with that yet; but we are starting with that goal in mind, to be able to make a church that is able to truly balance its power; where no one person can wield absolute power. There is such a tendency, that leaders, in any nation, in any organization can get corrupted by power, and can get egotistical by power.

Just like in a democratic nation, where president is not the king with absolute power; when he has to make decision, he has to consult the Congress, when it concerns national decisions. In the same way we have to make sure that decisions are not made for the benefit of the individual, but for the benefit of the whole, for each country, for the whole Unification Family...

I believe this process is so important, that we are able to put the checks in place, that one day, I can step out, our team can step out, and another team can step in, and that system can continue to work, that church can continue to grow, that legacy of True Parents can continue to bring glory to center, which is True Parents...

Father has asked us to envision and create a church that can protect the legacy of True Parents; that is, always keeping True parents at the center... to know our proper positions... and to always return glory back to God and True Parents... I can see what kind of organization Kook Jin Nim has made; when you look at the Tongil Group. It's transparent, the results have shown, performance has shown: There is a whole decision making chain; any one of the managers can step in and block a decision, if it is not in the interest of the entire Tongil Group. Kook Jin Hyung can't even approve it. So his role is only to approve decisions.

See, Kook Jin Hyung deliberately made the system like that, so that he can't control everything with absolute power. So, he has to listen to consultation of wise advice, to listen to his managers, to listen to people around him, he has to work to hear what is best for the organization... So, when I see the organization that Kook Jin Hyung made, I can see it is transparent, and, I can see it is result-oriented. I can see there is a decision making chain that prevents self-interest; it creates a mentality that is only beneficial for the group. So, When you see those mature decision making processes, when you see those organizational structures, then you can say, hey wait a minute, I can trust that, and I can see how that will benefit the church.

Think about the day, in the church, when all the finances, all the donations that members make, will be shown and can be traced to where they are going. You see, that's transparency; then people can trust what they are tithing for. It's so important not only on that level, but that all organizational ministers are accountable to their membership.

Even myself, if I become egotistical, if I become tyrannical, the True Family has the right to chase me out. That's how we are working, as a council. We are working so that, no one person can become tyrannical, that no person can control, what True Parents have controlled; to understand our proper position, what we can do and what we can not do. It's a very important wisdom.

As we move forward organizationally, as we move forward spiritually, that we acknowledge respect, and always adhere to the real position that we are in. That we are not a "new true parent," that "I am not a true parent". True Parents are always one, God is always one. I am only here to serve them.

We will have a more sufficient church, slowly and slowly, a Korean church that can stand on its own.. We won't have to depend on the Japanese church, relieving the burden of Japanese members...

We are working day in and day out to make this happen, but it won't happen overnight. But I do know, in our life time, we will have, what we are talking about; a system that is equitable; that is fair; that is transparent. That truly promotes only those who serve the members; that serve the public; that allows only those people to be elevated to positions of authority.

Those natural processes will be coming more and more clearly as the organization takes shape. In the end all the glory is to God and True Parents; whatever success in life we may have, whatever promotion God may give us, whatever challenge he may ask us to do, let's always remember to keep the proper position. Don't reverse the dominion, keep the right dominion.

God is in control, God is directing our path. He is the king, He is on throne, True Parents are on throne. If we keep True Parents enthroned in our heart in glory, as we live our lives, as we attain success, we will find more victory, more illumination and more peace, in all the days of our life...

53. Inauguration Address As World CARP President (May 2, 2008)

Hyung-jin Moon
May 2, 2008
Given in Korean

World CARP leaders, students and other members who have come here today! I thank you with all my heart. It seems as if there have been events almost every day for the past two weeks. I'm sure among those who are here today some of you have already participated in previous events. It's my pleasure to see you again.

Today I am taking office as the international president of World CARP. I was appointed as the person responsible not only for World CARP but also for our church internationally and the Korean church. Up until now we have been involved in many providential undertakings in attendance of True Parents. We have carried out many educational activities and carried out many campaigns within society. Yet, the most important mission for me is the development of the church.

This is the mission True Parents personally gave me. True Father specifically used the expression "transform people into family members" when explaining this new mission to me. In this new era, finding many members for the Unification Church is the new providential mission. True Parents gave me the mission of creating a church where members increase in number, rather than just a church that holds providential events and provides education.

All providential organizations should work together for this mission. It is not a question of whether we want to do this work or not; True Parents have given us this mission, so we must carry it out.

I will continue to serve as the pastor of the Headquarters Church as I have been doing. This is the fourth time I have come to the FFWPU Headquarters Building. I am responsible for the Korean Church Headquarters, but I will focus on ministerial activities at the Headquarters Church rather than work from this building! Unless someone is working it the field, doing pastoral work, he won't know what to do to help the church develop.

We have done much work while covering over the fact that we are the Unification Church. I'm tired of hiding. We should harvest the fruits that allow us to proudly say, in society, that we are members of the Unification Church. Our church culture and our capability should cause people of society to look at us and exclaim, "Unification Church members are really amazing!"

I'm not saying we should walk around in T-shirts with "I am a member of the Unification Church" printed in big letters to boast of the fact that we are members. But we must show the world our success and achievements. Yet, if we can remain honest and humble, the world will come to respect us. If we can have the heart to elevate people who are greater than we are, I am sure people will want to come and help us.

I have done many interviews recently. Whenever I do an interview, I try to express humility. I treat the journalists as if they are members. Although I am the president of the Family Federation for World Peace, I do not tell the journalists how I'm going to create world peace. I honestly tell them I am still a young man who is short on experience and has a lot to learn. I tell them I would like to grow while constantly making effort with a humble heart.

After beginning my ministry and visiting some of our members' homes, I realized there is a lot to be done. Whether meeting members in Japan or in Korea, I found our members are all worn out. They have no power. They seem to have doubts about being in the church and think, "What kind of person am I? What's the purpose of the work I have been doing in the church?"

A shortcoming of our church culture exists in the care of our members and in having genuine concern for them. Our church leaders should genuinely lead honest lives in front of other members. The time where leaders could say "Listen to me, because I wield power in the church" has passed. If you can truly live and work for the sake of the members in your charge, you will be respected as a leader.

True Parents assigned special responsibilities to me, but I'm not doing this on my own. We will create a good system in each field of responsibility. We will create a decision-making process that will facilitate wise decision-making. I will not be the one giving instructions; rather, I will listen to and take into account many people's opinions and move forward with them. The members of the True Family in particular will be united in the decisions we make. If anyone were to move alone, he or she would be extremely lonely. What True Father desires is that we all move together. We are one family.

Brothers and sisters! If people ask what religion you belong to, what will say? When you fill out a family survey sent from your child's school, what will you write in the space for "religion"? Do you write "Unification Church"? If a young Korean man enlisting in the Korean Army writes "Unification Church" as the religion he is affiliated with, it is said he is marked as someone needing "special attention." I have heard people have been ostracized at school once it became known they are members of the Unification Church. That is the reality we face today.

We say we are members of the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification or World CARP members. Fundamentally, though, we are Unification Church members. If as Unification Church members we do not know the Divine Principle, how can we testify about True Parents? To be incapable of testifying about True Parents means we are losing our identity. We are losing that which is everything to us. In everything we do, we must go forth centered on True Parents.

I have met many members who are like saints. They have offered everything they have for True Parents. These people are truly leading sacrificial lives. I would like to offer a sincere bow to such members. In particular, I respect our Japanese members.

Our church really needs to become transparent. Being transparent will allow us to know who truly lives for the sake of others. Bad things do not spontaneously emerge from pristine water. In order for our church to become transparent in its operations, I will work with my brother, Kook-jin hyung-nim. This applies also to World CARP.

Transparency will be our strength. We will disclose all aspects of the church, in other words, everything from our ministry to our finances. We will create a mature church and church culture.

Hyo-jin hyung-nim, [Park] Jin-hun and Hyun-jin hyung nim have done important things to bring World CARP to where it is today. They sincerely worked hard for the sake of the leaders and students. On their foundation, I am now to take the position of World CARP president, which is really an honor.

My greatest responsibility is church development. In order to bring success to the providence led by True Parents, we should first move to revive our faith. When True Father gave me this mission he used the expression transforming people into family members. In order to increase our membership, we must first create an atmosphere in our church conducive to welcoming the people of the world. We must develop the church in a transparent way.

When we hold educational or social activities under a name other than the Unification Church, the people who take part in these activities will not attend True Parents unless they are transformed into family members. It is a painful reality that we have been unable to bear substantial fruit, results, from the undertakings we invested in. Yet, as Kook-jin hyung said, we must face this reality.

As you all know, the results from the recent elections did not reach our expectations. We were involved in numerous activities, but the results were not good. Yet, we learned an important lesson. That is, people will not genuinely support True Parents unless they become members.

The Japanese members would be familiar with this; there is a large religious organization in Japan called Soka Gakkai. They currently have about six million followers. On the foundation of their religion, their members ran for election and had good results. Their political influence in turn played a positive role in expanding their religious foundation.

We need to bring in members who can enter into the realm of True Parents love. In order to do this, primarily, we must transform our church culture.

Currently, our church has an "in-group mentality." It is as if we are holding hands in a circle but with everyone facing inside the circle. If you have an in-group mentality, you end up creating an in-grown culture, which limits a group's growth.

We must have an outward-looking mentality. We should hold hands but face outward. We should prepare our hearts to welcome anybody. Without this mentality our membership will not increase. We will be unable to fulfill True Parents' dream. I know you have been working so hard, but we must work even harder now. We must show evident results to society rather than just words.

We are working toward a common goal. We are working for True Parents. I get strength from the dedicated members who are working hard. I will work diligently until the day our members can genuinely feel they are in an era of liberation and complete freedom.

I will work to create a fair and transparent church, a church that puts what True Parents say into practice. We shall succeed. Yet, we will always have humility in our hearts. I will work harmoniously with others. We sincerely need devoted children, loyal servants, saints and divine children who can project True Parents' brilliance.

You have all been working hard for God's providence. Yet, it seems that our personal faith, which in a sense is most fundamental to us, has declined. Still, I am not worried because a faith-revival is happening at the Headquarters Church. Whenever I go to the Headquarters Church, I feel I am really alive. My heart is elated whenever I work with the members. I've discovered True Parents' love and their way of life within the members. We must make these members, who are dear to us, into people who can shine.

Before my inauguration, True Father told me that the person at the top must go to the lowest position. Leaders must live with a humble heart. They should make effort to be genuinely humble when loving the members.

After I took office as the [FFWPU] international president, I had the room that was reserved for me at the Headquarters Church made into a prayer room, and I moved my office to a small room in the house adjacent to the church. I will try to be more humble. I am determined not to become arrogant. True Father has talked about "servant leadership." He has talked about the position of the servant of servants.

After I was inaugurated as the FFWPU International president, somebody told me I was the fourth Adam. Brothers and sisters! There will not be a new Messiah, a new True Parent or a new center. I am not a new center. I am not a new Adam.

Brothers and sisters! Has True Father failed? No. He is victorious.

If leaders in public missions tell members "I represent True Parents. You have to attend me as if attending True Parents," things will become difficult in the church from that day on. That leader will fail. A leader must become a bridge allowing members to advance toward God and True Parents. They must love and guide the members with a humble heart.

True Parents have always guided us in this way. Though they are in the highest and most exalted position, they always come down to the lowest position to serve. We must inherit that precious tradition from True Parents.

All the organizations must sincerely engage in discussions with one another. We must not think about what we should do for ourselves but for the sake of God's kingdom. We must think about what we have to do to expand True Parents' realm of love.

From now on, no decisions will be made centering on a leader's ego; all decisions will be made centering on the organization's mission. This is so that we can safely carry out our mission even when the leader of a church or providential organizations is changed.

In an interview, I told a journalist, "I am now the international president of the Unification Church and the leader of the Korean Unification Church. Yet, I will reduce my power." It is easy to become a tyrant if one seeks power. When you are in a position of power, you can accurately see yourself only when you let go of your authority. Then you can truly work for the sake of the members. if you seek to obtain power, you will end up focusing your thinking on yourself.

Brothers and sisters! Have you seen the movie "Lord of the Rings"? I think I am in a position similar to that of little Frodo, a character in the movie. We must destroy that ring that wields absolute power and authority. No single person should ever wear that ring. Absolute power should not be given to a single individual.

In that sense, the organization must stand strong and upright. That is why True Father instructed Kook-jin hyung to make the organization stronger. Kook-jin hyung is born with a gift in terms of organization management. He turned the Foundation, which only three years ago was losing a W100 billion each year, into a profit-making organization.

Our Japanese members have made too many sacrifices to support the operations of the Foundation, which was struggling in the red. Whenever I go to Japan and meet the members, it pains my heart. I do not want our Japanese members to continuously suffer. The Japanese members should be the first to enjoy the era of liberation and complete freedom. In order to facilitate that, we will move to make all the providential organizations financially independent in their operations. It is time for the organizations to grow up. The entire church must grow up and become mature.

Church growth is our collective responsibility. Let us create a strong church, a culturally mature church, a church to which we can invite and welcome the people of the world. Of course, this is something that cannot be done by one person. The True Family will move together. True Parents are the only ones who can give directions. Within the True Family, we will first have discussions and dialogue before we do anything. It will be the same in the organizations.

Church development and faith revival are the areas that all churches and providential organizations should concentrate on. We must go forward as a church that sincerely attends True Parents and as members of the Unification Church that can further illuminate True Parents' names.

When I heard of the accidental oil-spill off the Tae-an Peninsula, I took our Headquarters Church pastors and staff to take part in the volunteer activities [cleaning up the oil-spill]. If we had gone there representing the World Wildlife Fund, our activities would not have anything to do with the church. I went and took part in the volunteer activities on the Tae-an Peninsula as a member of the Unification Church. If we can do such good works in this world under the banner of the Unification Church, the perception the people of the world have of our church will change. They will come to say, "Wow, the Unification Church is doing these things." However, if we go under a different banner, we will not be able to change the social perception of our church.

When Kook-jin hyung and I went to Harvard University, we made it clear that we were members of the Unification Church. When we introduced ourselves in class, one of the first things we said was that we are sons of Rev. Sun Myung Moon. I hope you too can have that kind of courage.

Any of us could say, I'm a member of FFWPU. I'm a member of World CARP. I belong to this providential organization. I'm an ambassador for peace. However, the fundamental aspect of our identity is that we are Unification Church members. We are members of the Unification Church who received the blessing from True Parents and inherited their tradition of faith.

I majored in the Comparative Study of Religion. Our movement has all the elements of a religion. The Unification Church has its doctrine (the word), religious rituals, liturgy and other qualities that clearly make us a religious organization. Everybody views us as religious people. Do not hide the fact that you are a member of the Unification Church. As a member of the Unification Church each of us represents True Father.

Brothers and sisters!

Please take pride in being a member of the Unification Church. No other religious organization in the history of religions has grown as much as we have in the lifetime of its founder. The Unification Church is the most successful religion in history.

Our responsibility is to expand the number of people who can experience True Parents' realm of love. We must practice a genuine and pure leadership style. We must live honestly. When people who are in a public mission live for the sake of the members and to illuminate God's kingdom, they will be respected. No longer will people find success by lining-up behind a particular person. We will be impartial when reporting to True Father.

From now on, words will not be enough. We must put what we say into practice. We must show the world in a transparent way what we are doing. We must work not for the sake of one person but for the good of the whole. We must return the glory to True Parents. We must fulfill the mission of transforming people into family members. We must continue with this faith-revival movement.

Please help us. All the organizations should cooperate, work and move together with the church. We must move forward together with one heart, mind and spirit. Many of our providential organizations should move centering on the church. The church and these organizations have the same mission.

Let us create a church where people can experience more of True Parents' love. Our church leaders and those in a public mission should go to the lowest position in serving other members.

Let us work together. Let us create a church that we can be proud of; let us make the Unification Church one that, from everyone's perspective, shines out. Let us make a church where our children can be proud that they are members, at any time and wherever they live. I truly hope that day will come soon.

Thank you very much.

Hyung-Jin Nim's Prayer

Beloved Heavenly Father! The eternal True Parent of the cosmos, of heaven, earth and humankind!

Today we have received yet another important mission. We know very well that the path we should take from now is one that does not solely belong to us. We will live for the sake of our church and its members. As leaders, we will help our members shine out even more. We will make sure the members become people who can truly love True Parents and who can truly attend True Parents with greater devotion.

We are not proud of any position or proud of power. As the persons given this responsibility, we will go down to the lowest position. We will follow the leadership-style exemplified by True Parents and initiate servant-leadership in front of all humanity.

We will march forward for God and True Parents, and we will succeed. We will be victorious. Yet, none of our victories is ours to keep. The victories that we gain are not for the sake of elevating ourselves. Rather they are for us to return the glory to God and True Parents from a humble position. Please guide us so that we may cultivate that kind of universal heart.

We are convinced that a revival of faith will begin from our church and from our blessed families.

Heavenly Father! I truly thank you for this day. We have come to realize anew how precious are our blessed families, the second-generation members and the members in all the nations. Guide us so we may understand the true value and identity that has been bestowed on us, that we may be victorious for God and True Parents and that we may return glory to them.

True Father gave us the mission of reviving our faith and the mission to transform people into family members. We are now taking the first steps in fulfilling that. We will give everything to create a church that serves the members. We will make sure that an increasing number of the world's people experience True Parents' love through the Unification Church.

Please guide all our members so that they may become true, devoted sons or devoted daughters, loyal patriots, saints and divine sons or daughters who can work for the will of God and True Parents and return glory to them.

All this I pray, on behalf of all the blessed families worldwide, in the name of Hyung-jin Moon, a member of a blessed, central family. Aju! 

52. Talk After His Appointment As the President of FFWPU (April 19, 2008)

Hyung Jin Moon
April 19, 2008

As you can see the service is a little different today, it will not be like this next week. I gave a sermon last week on "How the best is before us, is yet to come." One of the things I spoke about was how your life can instantly change! (laughter and applause) I believed it when I said it, and I believe it even more now. This past week has been a roller coaster week for us. We found out just a couple of days before, we got a phone call before True Parents made this announcement, and we had just two days to prepare. It was a sudden event. I’d like to share with you some of the things I shared with the brothers and sisters in attendance on that day when I did the inauguration ceremony.

When I was in Japan, we were visiting a family in Tokyo. The father is a wonderful gentleman. He works in real estate, he’s very successful and has two companies in Tokyo. He has only one daughter, and they recently sent her to get blessed. She was blessed to a wonderful Korean gentleman. When we talked with them, the young man said he was a son of a minister in Korea. My wife said, "That’s wonderful, I’m so glad to meet you! Also I’m the daughter of a minister!" At that moment I said, "Hey wait a minute! I’m the son of a minister too!" There was a silence, and then everyone burst into laughter. It was not expected. We usually don’t think of True Father as a minister.

Of course we say "Rev Moon", etc, especially in the West, I think that’s clearer, but in Korea in the most recent history of our movement, we’ve seen True Parents being elevated as King and Queen of Peace, being anointed as King of Kings, and also "Entering the Palace" Ceremony. Many times I felt, and I want to share this with the membership, that many members have expressed that they feel distant from True Father’s identity as a minister.

When I reflected on that, I was move to think that when Father was preaching in North Korea, when he was going around witnessing to one person at a time, trying to explain to them the entirety of the Principle, etc, he was a minister. When Father was imprisoned in North Korea, imprisoned in Hungnam prison, he was a minister. When he taught at the old HQ church down the road, and when he got blessed with True Mother, he was a minister. When he went to America he was a minister. When he fought communism and met Kim Il Sung on the victorious foundation he was also a minister.

My point is that even to this day I believe Father is still a minister. Every day being out there talking with the congregation, every day giving devotion and sincerely, doing HDH, every day to meet the members, meet with brothers and sister.

In my view, I really believe that we must get back to this root of ministry in our movement, that we can’t loose this side. I reflected on my own start in ministry. I had a chance to talk with Father and ask Father, "I don’t know what to do, how to start." The first thing Father said to me was, "Give chongsong, give sincerity and devotion." Chongsong as you know is True Father’s favorite Chinese character, and is composed of the character "to speak" combined with the character "to become." Those together combined is the character "chongsong", which essentially means devotional sincerity, to actualize your word, etc.

Before the inauguration ceremony I spent all day with True Parents from morning to night, and Father explained to me two main teachings that I received that day. I was sitting next to him, and Father was looking forward, and he leaned over to me, and he said, "Don’t worry! Stop worrying! There’s going to be many people to help you." Right after that, he said, "Keep giving sincerity, keep giving devotion, keep giving chongsong." He explained to me that it’s important when you’re in a position to be able to go to the lowest role. When you’re in a high position, be able to go to the lowest. Don’t ever loose your humility. He said, "That’s the real power of chongsong that when you are able to give sincerely, as when you do spiritual practice."

When Father goes out and meditates on the boat, all these kinds of things, these practices help him, and he was telling me to continue that. That way we can always check ourselves. We can always reflect and look back at ourselves. When I look at my own strength standard, giving a sermon on purpose, strengths and joys, and when I look at what God is calling me to do, I really do believe it is ministry.

Up to now in our movement, particularly in the east in Korea, ministry has really become about mobilization to bring people to a certain event or a particular ceremony that we are having. Or it’s been a way to move up through the organization. I really believe that ministry is very simply about expressing, and being an avenue for True Parent’s love and God’s love. It is the character… chance to have compassion for others, it is to believe in the goodness of the original mind of people. When you are hurt, it is to practice patience. It is to practice empathy. It is to practice forgiveness. It is to have faith that God is guiding us, that He is directing our steps, that He is lighting our path. I really believe that if we are to succeed as a church, then it is so important that we are able to become member-centered; a church that is able to learn how to serve our congregation, a church that takes care of the congregation, to love the people of the nation.

There’s an old statement in one of the ancient texts in the East that says, "If the saint loves the people, will the nation not flourish?" I really do believe that in our own roles as ministers, it’s not so much that the members serve us as ministers and acknowledge our roles as ministers, but that it’s the opposite. It’s that we recognize that our roles as ministers is to experience and to express the love of True Parents and love of God to our membership, to our brothers and sisters, to the precious children of God.

In essence, as I was speaking to the ministers, I said "I really believe True Father’s secret to ministry is simple: it’s to give sincerity as he told me to do; it’s to not be arrogant, as he told me to do; and third point: don’t worry so much, God is guiding us!" I really do believe those are quite wise words of wisdom.

The last couple of days, every single person I met has come up to me and said, "What will happen next n the church?" I’m going tell you what True Father told me, "Don’t worry!" (Laughter)

I really do feel this is my role, to continue ministry, to continue to practice spiritual practice, spiritual discipline, etc. I know that the role that Father asked me to participate in, that this is not enough, that the church is not only comprised of ministry. The church is not only comprised of caring for the congregation. There are also many other responsibilities. Personally I feel most in my strength zone, most in my God zone, when I’m doing services, or when I’m writing sermons, or writing books, or practicing spiritual discipline, or working with the congregation, or visiting families. I really feel personally that is where I have to remain. Knowing this, Father asked specifically my brother Kook Jin Nim to help me with the organization the church, so that I can very gratefully focus on my strengths which are spiritual practices and continue to do ministry.

We will continue with Kook Jin Nim, to work and strengthen our organization. I told the membership that every decision we make will be for the benefit of the whole church, it will be for the benefit of the members. Decisions will not be made for the benefit of single individuals because they may have personal relationships. Every single decision that we will make will be for the benefit of the whole. We will constantly work to make sure that the church grows and continues to organize in that fashion. Every decision of course will be reported to Father, we’ll get his approval, etc. I believe Father is so proud of us.

For many years, many people gave up on true family, "They’re never going to get along, they’re always fighting, look at the division in the Second Generation," etc. We heard a lot of those things. It’s been a real clear thing for me, that when Kook Jin Nim and I stood up, when we moved to Headquarters Church he was by my side. As an elder brother, he is the most able type elder brother that one could ask for. He is so supportive. He knows that his strength zone is in another place than mine. In working together, we can synergize and I should create a better result and better organization and church environment for the membership.

Father really acknowledged that, that day. I was so grateful because Father asked him explicitly to work with me, to continue to improve the church organization in all its aspects. I want to say that this is a very large church. It’s spread across so many nations. One of the most critical things to understand is that big changes create big havoc in big organizations. We know that and we want to continue to work judiciously and to work logically, rationally, so that the changes are appropriated for the particular circumstance of that church -- of that nation, in working with those particular organizations; and that there will be a synergy effect so those organizations can grow and flourish.

So many people have told me over the last few years, "We’re not a church anymore. Why are you focusing on church? Why do ministry? True Father has told us that we are now FFWPU, we’ve closed down the church, we’ve opened up the Federation for World Peace, etc." In my view and as a scholar of religion -- I’ve studied religion and religious tradition, and one thing that I know in common that all religious traditions have, I realize that also we have.

All religions have rituals, all religions have theology-centered text, the teaching of the masses, they have organizations, centers for teaching, spreading those teachings, etc. We have all those things; we have every single one of those things. No matter how much we may say we are not a religion, when the scholars look at us they will see a religion, and when the society looks at us they will see a religion.

For me, it’s very important that we understand that primary identity. Without the religious dimension, without our religious conviction, there is no meaning in True Parents. There is no meaning in Divine Principle. There is no meaning in the fifty years of sacrifice that all the brothers and sisters have given. In fact, if we remove the religious aspects of the movement, it just pushes us into a social movement. But we have a larger mission than that, we have a larger purpose, we have a purpose to understand True Parents. In the Principle, clearly it says that nations must accept True Parents, not just work with them but to accept them as the Messiah. Christianity was supposed to accept True Parents as the Messiah. So we have a very clear picture that True Father is suppose to come with the understanding as a religious teacher.

Of course the church is not only that, but it is the primary identity of our organization. I told the Japanese family when we were visiting them, and we were discussing, as we left the family and we hugged and parted our ways, I asked the father (he’s handicapped, his leg is hurt, but he’s running a successful business and he has such an amazing positive environment in his home, he’s helping his son-in-law go to study in the West) and I asked him, "How do you do it, how do you do this? How do you stay so alive; how do you create such a positive loving environment?" He told me one sentence, "It’s because of True Parents."

When I heard that, and I left his home, I felt a rebirth. It’s so clear, anything that we may accomplish in our lives in these respective roles, it really is because of True Parents, it is to bring glory to God and True Parents, to True Parents in their very special role that they play here on earth. I believe if we keep that central focus, not only can our lives instantly change, but we can build a really strong church, a church that is healthy, that is positive, that can help people grow spiritually, that can nourish people and help them move to higher and higher heights. When our other types of organizations, like non-profits organizations, our businesses and others, are working in conjunction with a strong church, the world is forced to take notice, the world is forced to acknowledge the very important foundation that True Parents are leading.

In sharing that with the membership, I really felt if I had to encapsulate my own thesis within that inauguration speech, it’s "Stay true to God’s calling for you." In your life, it’s what you really feel God is calling you to do. For me it is ministry. I know that I have a whole new array of responsibilities. But learn to work with other people that can help you actualize your other larger responsibilities when God changes your life instantly, or when He promotes you, etc. It is so important that we are able to learn how to work with people that can help us fulfill those responsibilities, while at the same time staying true to our strength, staying true to what God is calling us to do.

I believe if we do that, we will have more synergy, we will have more effectiveness in the work that we do. Personally, in my life, and I hope in yours as well, that if we are able to act on the principles, these very simple principles of staying true to God’s Calling, not avoiding God’s Calling for you, and accepting it when He’s giving you responsibility that is bigger than the one you may have, or the one that you may thought was your limit. If God is asking you to step up, to take that step of faith, you can do it; you have the talents that you need that God has prepared you in that way. Even though we may not see the future, 10-15 yrs down the road, let us believe that God is asking us to be the people that he has created us to be, that we can actualize that destiny that He has asking us to actualize.

It’s really been such a crazy week for us. I do want to assure all our brothers and sisters around the world and our congregation here, that we’re going to be back here next week, we going to still be doing ministry, we’re going to be here, the service will be back to normal. We’ll be focusing with our other team and working on the organizational aspects of church growth and create strengthening of the church. But really our focus will be to continue ministry, continue to visit families, continue be here with you all walking our paths of faith together. Brothers and sisters, if we can do this together I do believe we will find more victory; we’ll find more illumination; we’ll find more peace in our lives.

If you can accept this message, let’s give a round of applause for True Parents, and let’s return that glory back to God. (Clapping) Let us pray:

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for this day that You have gathered us. Father, we pray for all Your sons and daughters that are here today. We pray that You may bless them in their lives. Father, we know that in one instant You can change our lives completely. Father, that with one touch of Your heart, our lives can completely change. Father, we pray that we may remain open to Your guidance; we know that You are directing our steps, we know that You are guiding us to the land of our fulfillment.

Father, we know that we will actualize the destiny You have prepared for us. Father, we pray that we may go forth from this place with a renewed hope in our future, Father, that we may become a greater blessing to this world and that we truly may actualize Your peace, Your victory, and Your illumination here on this earth. Please be with each one of these families, across the world and in this sanctuary today, we are praying for each one of them and Father bless them eternally. We pray these things in our name, Aju, Aju, Aju

51. Inauguration Ceremony for the International President of the Family Federation for World Peace (FFWPU) and President of FFWPU Korea (April 18, 2008)

Hyung Jin Moon
April 18, 2008
Cheon Jeong Peace Palace

I am not someone who deserves compliments like the ones I've received, so I feel sorry; and in particular, I don't know if I deserve this glorious position given me today, so all I can say is I'm truly grateful to True Parents and all our members around the world. The entire True Family is also grateful. Thank you.

After I began my ministerial duties, I had an occasion to go to Tokyo, where I visited the home of a Japanese blessed family. The father, whose is leg somewhat disabled, is nevertheless an excellent man and the head of a real estate office. He has only one daughter, who had received an international blessing. His son-in-law is a Korean. I talked a little with the son-in-law, and he was very proud of the fact that his father is a minister. When my wife heard that, she was delighted to say that she too is a minister's daughter. At that point, I felt left out so I also said to everyone in the house, "Hey, wait a minute -- I'm a minister's son too!" [Applause]

With the entrance ceremony into the Cheon Jeong Peace Palace, True Parents became the King and Queen of Peace and achieved all sorts of victories. To tell the truth, I've often heard that people who attend and serve True Parents feel that they do so from a little bit far away; people think of True Parents as a little bit distant to be ministers. I firmly believe that our True Father and True Mother are always working as ministers. They are always guiding us as our ministers, and though they have become True Parents and the King and Queen of Peace, True Father was and is a minister.

When he was preaching to each and every person in North Korea from the age of sixteen, he was a minister. When he was imprisoned in Hungnam and in Danbury, he was a minister. When he was blessed in holy matrimony to True Mother at the former headquarters church, and when he taught there, he was a minister. When he went to America, he was a minister. When he fought communism, when he carried out the victory over communism movement and when he met Kim Il-sung, he was a minister.

In short, we can keenly feel the truth of the fact that when True Father achieved all his victories, he did so as a minister, that is, it was as a minister that True Father laid such a victorious foundation. Even now, True Father wakes up at 2:00 AM every day and offers devotions, attends Hoon Dok Hae and guides our members every day. When I see True Parents guiding us even now as ministers, nurturing us and leading us as our ministers and of course as our parents, I have personally come to feel deep in my heart how precious the ministerial tradition is to True Father.

When I was given the honor of being able to begin a ministry, I asked, "Father, what should I do?" and he answered succinctly, "Offer much jeongseong." [Jeongsong means devoted effort. In our church we use it to refer to making prayer or other conditions, or just offering our most sincere, dedicated effort.] Yesterday, I spent all day with True Father and he taught me two great things. First, he said, "Don't worry too much." He said I shouldn't worry, because there would be many to help me.

Second, he told me to give jeongseong all the time, because when we give jeongseong, we are humbled. Especially because there is a great possibility we can become arrogant when in high positions, we need to give jeongseong, because only then can we clearly know who we are in front of God and True Parents. We can keep in our minds we are the hands and feet of True Parents and help them in their work. I firmly believe this. From the time I started in the ministry, and of course began holding Sunday Services, I have continued to give jeongseong every morning because True Father has always said that jeongseong should be the center of a ministry. Though it has only been a short while, I am truly grateful to True Parents for giving me an opportunity to be a minister. From my personal point of view, I've come to feel that my calling is the ministry.

Meeting with many ministers has moved and touched me deeply. I've come to know that our church leaders have been working so hard and that they are truly amazing people. Notably, for many events, we generate huge mobilizations the like of which no one can imitate. Furthermore, even though becoming a minister in our church could be seen as a way to gain greater power, many leaders have been living very sacrificial lives for the sake of God's will. Father has said that the core of ministry is very simple.

Briefly, a minister is a person who conveys God's love and True Parents' love. It's simple. I strongly believe that if a minister cannot give True Parents' love and God's love to others, he will find himself in great difficulty. I have come to believe that real ministry is caring and having compassion for others, believing in the good of others, practicing patience, empathy and forgiveness even if others hurt me; it is having faith in God and True Parents' presence, help and guidance even when the path before us seems dark and gloomy.

What I believe is this: If we are to succeed as a church, our ministers should love our members, and our ministry should be member-centered. It is my strong conviction that if the ministers love and serve the members of the congregation, the members in turn will serve True Parents tens, hundreds or thousands of times better than the members have been served. I've come to think that it is not the members that must serve the ministers, but that it is the ministers' mission to stoop to a lower position and serve their members, thus making them into even more devoted sons and daughters of True Parents.

I believe True Parents' secret for our ministers is very simple: work in a loving manner, give jeongseong, and don't become arrogant in front of True Parents or our members; also, as True Father told me -- don't worry too much about the future but march forward in the certainty that God and True Parents are guiding us. These are the secrets of a successful ministry.

I think being a minister agrees with me. I like leading a religious and prayerful life and meeting people. Visiting our members' homes has also frequently moved me. As their minister, I am visiting the homes of the members of my congregation and meeting each family. I cannot even find words to describe how moved and touched I have felt on many occasion.

Nevertheless, I know that ministry is not enough in itself. If I am to serve the world as international president and hold the presidency of the Korean church, the largest vision and clearest objectives are needed. Even so, doing the actual work of a minister is essential to this. It is a great joy for me to conduct services, write sermons, study True Parents' teachings deeply and work with the members.

True Parents, also, know well that this is what suits me best. [Applause] Knowing this, True Parents have specifically asked other True Family members to help me a lot. In particular, True Father has asked my older brother Kook-jin nim to help his younger brother. [Applause] Kook-jin nim is a genius, as anyone would freely admit, and he is especially a genius at organizing things, so True Father has given me a great mission, the great task of working with my older brother Kook-jin nim and our vice-president Lee Dong-hwan to strengthen our church organization and propel it forward as an outstanding organization.

Kook-jin nim is always working for our family, and he is so affectionate. Because he is so affectionate, he cries easily and loves his younger brothers and sisters. [Applause] He is excellent. As his younger brother, I am really, truly proud of him. Every decision we make will be for the benefit of the whole -- the whole church and its members -- not for any particular individual. Most especially, we will report every decision we make to True Father for approval, and only when he approves it will we carry it out. I believe Father is truly proud to see his sons working in unity and supporting each other.

A few years back, many people believed True Family members could not work together because we are all very passionate and we would fight among ourselves, but we have shown them otherwise. We are working together, and we will continue working together to uphold the legacy of the True Family and True Parents. [Applause] I strongly believe we are different from members of the second-generation in famous Korean business conglomerates, who are always fighting among themselves. [The infighting and scandals within several family owned Korean conglomerates are common knowledge in Korean society.] Our church is different. Ladies and gentlemen, our bloodline is different. We will leave an example in history of the True Family uniting and working together on the frontline.

Whenever I visit places or meet people, I hear some people say why we need the church, while others say we are no longer a church because True Father founded the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification, and that he himself has said we are not a church, and not a religion.

As you may know, I studied religion for seven years, and I learned there are several distinguishing features of a religion. All religions exist in a religious context, don't they? These are rituals, theology, central texts, and transcendental teachings of the master and so on. To speak plainly, we too have the same context. We also have religious texts, rituals, theology and our center, True Parents. No matter how much we say we are not a religion, in the eyes of religious scholars and society, we are most definitely a religion.

In this regard, if we were to eliminate the religious aspect of our movement, would we be any different from a social movement? Without the religious context, we could not explain True Parents, the Divine Principle, True Parents or the Messiah. If this were the case, how would we be any different from a large corporation or a social movement? Am I not right about this? We manifestly have a theology, our Divine Principle and True Father's teachings and we have True Father himself. Therefore, without a doubt we should strengthen our church. I strongly believe that we need to develop our church further, so that more people can really serve and support True Parents.

When I visited the Japanese family I mentioned before, the family in Tokyo, and met the father, though his leg is disabled and he has other physical difficulties, I saw he is a very positive person, and his daughter and son-in-law respect him very much. I asked him, "How can you be so positive and happy, and make a lovely environment to live in, when you have so many physical difficulties and a paralyzed leg?" He answered me simply, "I can live like this because of True Parents." That family was truly grateful to True Parents. When I parted from that family, I felt something pulling at my heartstrings and also got the feeling of having been born again. No matter what we do, we are not doing it for ourselves, and all victories we win are thanks to True Parents. Since True Parents are with us, we will continue to achieve more victories in the future and build a glorious future together. [Applause]

I have a dream to make a church that those in our second and third generations can proudly proclaim they are members of. When members of our second or third generations are with other people, I want them to be able to say, I am a Unification Church member, and I'm proud of it. I want them to display this to society. When they register in a school and are asked what their religion is, I want them to be able to write that they are Unification Church members rather than "non-denominational Christians". [This is a standard question on school registration forms.] Such a time will certainly come. [Applause] Let's make a church that can praise our True Father and True Mother for millions of generations to come! I'm positive that my older brothers Hyo-jin nim, Heung-jin nim, Young-jin nim and other members of the True Family in the spirit world will work with us, and great and amazing miracles will occur. Everyone, let's all give great glory to True Parents, and in so doing, offer our True Parents our resounding applause!

50. Benediction of Hyung-Jin Moon and Yeon-Ah Lee (Sun Myung Moon - April 18, 2008)

Sun Myung Moon
April 18, 2008
Cheon Jeong Peace Palace
Chung Pyung Korea
Translated by: G.H.L.
Edited by: Bruno Klotz

Hyung Jin Moon and Yeon Ah Lee March 2, 2011

Heavenly Father!

It is now the calm evening-period. All creation is going to sleep and to take a rest. After the evening period it becomes the midnight period. Nobody has known that the True Parents, True Teacher, and True King has already come, who has the authority as successor of the crown. Father, all things of the Unification Church will vanish. All the happenings will disappear.

(Possible meaning: In the future in Cheon Il Guk there is no more Unification Church. The Unification Church and everything related to it will belong to the past.)

It is our purpose of life to live with God and True Parents as a family of great happiness. If we are not worthy to be like that, it isn't the responsibility of God and of True Parents any more. It is our responsibility.

True Parents have set up all the indemnity conditions. They have risked even their own lives in order to achieve the Sovereignty of the nation (Korea), as a proud individual, as a proud family that received the Blessing for an Eldest Son, and as a proud teacher of the nation.

While a baby was growing up in the womb, in order to inherit the victorious achievements of True Parents, and in order to get rid of the shadow of the Fall, True Mother and True Father have protected and raised the baby with such heart which is greater than the heart of children who serve their own parents sincerely.

(It seems that he is talking about Hyung Jin Nim.)

Father, we pray deeply that this son and this daughter can protect the whole world, giving new birth, succeeding the True Parents for total liberation, and being loyal and good children.

We pray deeply pray, Father, that Hyung-Jin Moon and Yeon-Ah Lee become a united couple and the successors of the True Parenthood, through which You can feel the greatest happiness. You couldn't bless your fallen children in the Garden of Eden. We pray and wish that this couple may connect the current epoch with the time of the Heavenly Ideal World, where You are liberated totally and solely You are reigning.

True Parents do not have much longer to live, and they know how difficult it is to show to this couple the authority as the successors of True Parents. We pray sincerely that this family of Hyung-Jin can stay united with You unchangeably, from the time of childhood until after millions and millions of generations, and that they inherit the victorious Sovereignty of God's Ideal World.

Shin-Joon belongs to the third generation. May these three generations be united as one! May this couple, as parents, protect and help their children and be the protecting fence, until the children overcome all the difficulties which arise from the responsibilities as parents of the nation, of the world, and until they arrive in the World of the New Adam Culture of Heart as the children of the Heavenly Kingdom! Until now, the spiritual world was divided into two, the Cain realm and the Abel realm.

Heung-Jin has worked very hard as the main responsible person, united with True Parents. From now on, Hyo-Jin as the elder brother will cooperate with Heung-Jin and even help the people who are living in the most miserable environment. Hyo-Jin is called "The Lord of loyalty, filial piety and the liberation of the whole spiritual world" in the position of True Parents in the spiritual world. Through the unity of both the resurrection of spiritual beings will be easier and quicker.

We pray from the bottom of our hearts, that through them the physical world and the spiritual world will be united in harmony and love, and that the glory of God and the future glory of the True Children will be exposed.

We also pray from the bottom of our hearts that the period of realization will be much shorter so that God becomes the owner and the king of kings and reigns the whole cosmos directly.

Father, please protect these two children and always give them your guidance!

I pray and report this.

Aju, Aju, Aju. 

49. Knowing That Our Best Is Yet To Come (April 12, 2008)

Hyung Jin Moon
April 12, 2008
Cheongpa Dong, Seoul, Korea

Yeon-ah Nim's Welcoming Remarks

Good afternoon, brothers and sisters. It is always wonderful having you here in this sanctuary, and for those who are joining with us via internet we are welcoming you as well. Welcome brothers and welcome sisters.

Hyung Jin Nim's Welcoming Remarks

Brothers and sisters, I want to share with you something from the Cheon Seong Gyeong. That really caught my attention, and it was on page 1730. I was reading from page 1 and just happened to be on 1730. I found this nice passage of what Father was talking about,

"What I agonized over the most in delving into the fundamental truths of the universe was the question of how love moves and settles. By discovering the fact that love travels the shortest distance, everything came to be resolved. If love were to come from above, seeing that heaven is above and the earth is below, what route would true love take to come to earth from heaven? It would take the shortest possible distance. What would that be? It is the perpendicular, isn't it? There is only one perpendicular. It is the shortest distance. Granted that love takes the fastest and shortest route, there can be only one meeting point of the heavenly and earthly worlds."

And that got me thinking; there is a rumor circulating around that says that that meeting point where love travels very quickly to the earth is this headquarters's church. (Applause) I don't know if it's true but I do believe, brothers and sisters, that each and every one of you is that channel. Each and everyone of us is that perpendicular route. Every single one of our blessed families, every single one of our brothers and sisters, we've been blessed by True Parents, and because of that we hold the lineal fruit, what the ancestors have been waiting for, and it's so important every time we start service to really remember and really re-invest ourselves in that attitude, when we look at ourselves to really see ourselves with fresh eyes, see ourselves with what I call God's perspective. It's so important that when we see ourselves, we see ourselves with divine value, we see ourselves with cosmic universal value, we see ourselves with unique and unchanging value.

Brothers and sisters, we have that much preciousness. You have it, it's all within you and it's so important that we let that out, we learn how to cultivate that so we can really bring great blessings to this world.

Brothers and sisters, once again we are so happy to have you here at this service. We really welcome you, and once again thanks so much for coming.

Interesting Story

Before each sermon we like to start with something a little interesting. We came across this very interesting little story about an 85 year old grandfather, grandpa, and he was out on the water, fishing on the lake just enjoying himself. The water was beautiful and he was enjoying the beautiful fish he was catching. All of a sudden he heard a small voice. It said, "Pick me up". He looked around, there was nothing there; just he thought he was dreaming. He looked down and saw a little frog that said to him, "Pick me up!" And he looked at the frog and said, "I must be dreaming. I can't believe this frog is talking to me." The frog said, "Pick me up and kiss me, I will become a bride". The grandfather picked the frog up, put it into his pocket, and then the frog said, "What are you doing? I told you to kiss me, I'll become a bride" and he said, "Honey, at this age I'd rather have a talking frog!" (Laughter and applause)

All right brothers and sisters, come on let's get on up, let's do it. That took a little time to sink in but you did get it. I am proud of you!

Comments by Rev. Noh-hi Pak (Slide Show presentation)

As you see from the banner in this service, today we commemorate the Inauguration of Hyung Jin Nim as President of FFWPU International and Korea. Hyung Jin Nim was appointed by Father as the President of FFWPU International and Korea. As you know, two days ago, on April 18, there was a very beautiful inaugural ceremony in Cheon Jeong Gyeong. I'm sure some of you participated in the ceremony and some of you watched the ceremony by internet. I'm going to show you some of the pictures of that event, so we can join together to celebrate the inauguration of Hyung Jin Nim as President of FFWPU International and Korea.

This is the front of the auditorium where we greeted True Parents. Here is the True Family, Yeon-ah Nim, Hoon-suk Nim, Kook Jin Nim's couple and Hyung Jin Nim's couple.

At first there were remarks by Rev. Kwak, who was the first International President of FFWPU. He gave a very meaningful message to all of us. He said that the time he leaves his position is actually the beginning of the 2nd generation providence and that Hyung Jin Nim's couple taking the position of President of FFWPU International and Korea means actually the beginning of the providence of the 2nd generation. "This is historical and providential." He said he is very sorry that he couldn't prepare a better foundation to transfer to Hyung Jin Nim. He said that we did our best the last 50 years with True Parents.

Next were the remarks by Rev. Hwang, President of FFWPU Korea. He is also leaving his position. He also gave meaningful remarks. He said that Hyung Jin Nim taking the position of President FFWPU International and Korea means a new beginning. In the history of the last 50 years in Korea, this is the 10th church president in Korea, from Rev. Eu to Hyung Jin Nim. Actually, providentially, this is the first president of FFWPU in Korea. What does this mean? From Father to Hyung Jin Nim there were 10 presidents, but Hyung Jin Nim is the first president of FFWPU Korea in Abel position. This is really the beginning of a new era.

Before inviting Hyung Jin Nim to the podium, we presented a flower bouquet to Hyung Jin Nim's couple. Then Hyung Jin Nim gave an inaugural speech.

Hyung Jin Nim's ministry. He loves and respects his younger brother. Hyung Jin Nim is ready to receive this position as President of FFWPU International and Korea, and now he has taken this position and responsibility. So we all together respect Hyung Jin Nim. He cried so much at the ceremony.

Before we invited True Parents to the podium, Rev. Yeon-jun Noh's couple presented flowers to True Parents. They were very happy. Things then went unexpected. We invited Father to give the speech, but Father and Mother invited Hyung Jin Nim to the podium in front of them and gave encouraging remarks to give a blessing to Hyung Jin Nim's couple.

This is very historical. On the podium there was a box. It was a Cheon Seong Gyeong, meaning "Words of True Parent". True Parents didn't just give the position of President of FFWPU to Hyung Jin Nim, but they gave inheritance. The whole history and True Father's words and everything was inherited by Hyung Jin Nim. This box was the word of True Parents. That means that actually Hyung Jin Nim received True Parents' Words as representative of True Parents. Father and Mother gave a very special prayer for Hyung Jin Nim's couple.

Eog Mansei for God, True Parents and Eog Mansei for Hyung Jin Nim's couple as President of FFWPU International and Korea.

Another special event followed. We really did not expect this event in the context of the inaugural ceremony. A few days ago Father gave a special matching to one couple. The man is working in the Peace Palace. The wife is a daughter of 430 couple family. At the ceremony, Father asked Hyung Jin Nim to give the blessing to them.

What is the essence of True Parents? There are two points: One is their word and one is their authority of giving the blessing. This time True Father gave the position of President of FFWPU to Hyung Jin Nim, he gave his word and then he gave the authority of the Blessing to Hyung Jin Nim. Before we complete our blessing we receive the benediction prayer from Father. Now Hyung Jin Nim can give the blessing prayer to all the people of the world. This is a very meaningful occasion.

After that there was a banquet with True Parents. We invited True Parents and Kook Jin Nim's couple and Hyung Jin Nim's couples to cut the cake together, but Father said, "No, this time is only for Hyung Jin Nim's couple." So they cut the cake and received appreciation from the congregation.

Kyung-bae, cheers with True Family and all success for Hyung Jin Nim s couple!

Can you imagine this meaningful ceremony with the help of these pictures? Let's give applause.

Let's now invite Hyung Jin Nim's couple on the stage. This time with all our heart we give flowers to Hyung Jin Nim and Yeon-ah Nim. Lots of happy applause!

Main Message, Hyung Jin Nim

Today I want to talk to you about "Knowing that our best is yet to come." If we are truly to live the blessed life, then it's so important that when we look at our own future, when we look at our own lives, that we know that God has still so many things He has planned for us. Still our best has yet to come! We have to know that God has so many plans that we have not even fathomed yet. He has designed our lives so that we will be so victorious, so great. The potential is all there. It's so important in our lives. Our portion of responsibility then is to look at that and to see into our future and really believe that we have that kind of potential.

And it's so easy to start getting into a thinking that says, "I really reached my limits, it's all downhill, I am over 30 now, it's all downhill from now, I just hit 30!!" That's a little depressing for me. I don't want to believe that. I want to believe that each decade, even in our marriage relationship, each decade will become more rich, more deep. Even in our own lives it's so important that we don't get into that trajectory of thinking. It's so tempting to say, "I don't see a way out of this situation," or "I don't see a way out of this family problem that we are having. I don't see how unity will be able to come." But we have to always remember that God has a very magical way of moving things in our lives, so that these things can come to pass.

Remember in 1936 when True Father received his revelation, his anointing from God, when he started moving unto his path to save humanity, to save the world, to liberate God's heart. He did not know at that moment that God had still more things for him to do. Of course at that moment when he made the decision, I can see him praying at the rock on top of the mountain, really receiving God's anointing, really making the declaration that he will move forward.

But yet it's so easy to start thinking, "After this, I don't know what tribulations I will have to go through," and particularly when Father was going through tribulations, how easy it was for him to start saying, "It's not going to happen. The things that I promised God will never come to pass."

When the Korean war broke out, again Father was under continuous imprisonment, continuous oppression, and yet you can see him in those prison cells, you can almost visualize in your mind, him sitting there in that cell. He does not see a way out, there is no army camps that are coming to liberate him. He is just sitting in prison, day in and day out, working every day in the concentration camp. There is no possible way he can emerge out of there.

But yet God challenged him in those times of oppression, in those times of difficulty. He challenged him to believe, "Yes, I will be free". I remember that story: On the day that Father was designated to be executed, the American liberation forces came in and freed him.

What am I saying? Even though we may not be able to see how God is going to do it, He will organize things, He will move things around in the cosmos to be able to help us actualize the vision and dreams that He has planned for us.

In the 1970s when True Parents moved to America, how many difficulties they received! They are in a foreign land, they don't speak the language. There are so many new members but how to communicate with them? How to be able to really understand Americans? How to be able to truly make America the homeland of God?

In the 1980s. after the fall of communism, I can see True Father sitting in his room, really feeling the victory of Communist Russia finally falling, collapsing, opening itself to democracy. But still he knew that God still had more for him to do in his life. He still had more to do and to accomplish in his life.

Even in 2001, after the Declaration of God's Coronation Ceremony, really what we would imagine to be the crowning highlight of True Father's spiritual life, after having been able to liberate the 6,000 years of suffering that God had to endure, but still True Father moved forth. He still knew he had yet things to do.

Even in 2008, we just had the congress elections here in Korea. All our brothers and sisters in Korea were running. They were really pushing for the Family Party, working so hard, day in and day out, really giving all their effort, and investing all their blood, sweat and tears into it, and the result was not as we assumed. We were not able to make it into the Congress. But I love Father's attitude when he came back yesterday, when he was at the rally, and all the members were there, and all the brothers and sisters believed, "We are such failures, we did not make it this time. We thought at least one congressman we would make." But Father -- I love his attitude -- he came out and he just said to them, "Don't even in your wildest dreams assume that this is a failure; this is just a beginning."

And I love that because in our lives as well, when we encounter trials, when we encounter tribulation, when we encounter difficulty, it's so important to say to our mind, just like Father told us, "Don't even in your wildest dream start thinking this is a failure."

We have to always see our lives as being victorious. We have to envision it, we have to visualize it with that type of energy. Father has always done that. He has always tried to work and encourage us in such a manner.

When we were young, we grew up in a very public environment. We have a couple of brothers and sisters that are here and were helping us in that environment etc. and I remember times, I was like riding a bike or I used to skateboard, so I was skateboarding outside, and people would be taking pictures of us while we were just trying to skateboard around or ride a bike. We understand members, "Oh, these are the True Parents' children, so we take pictures and it's very nice." But at times we felt very frustrated because we really had no control over this environment. We could not start yelling and say, "Stop taking pictures, I am trying to skateboard here, I'm trying to do my 360 alley, you are distracting me!" We couldn't do that. So we felt really that we had no control over the environment.

So many times we found ourselves very frustrated. Sometimes we were really angry at this situation, and many times we were not able to speak to the congregation. We didn't necessarily have a platform to speak, to share our feelings, to really communicate with our brothers and sisters. And it almost felt like every mistake, every sign of frustration that we were feeling was almost being noticed and being watched, and we could almost feel like every eye was on us. And at times I found myself very stressed by that environment.

Even when we were not in public gatherings we really also felt that it was a public environment. We lived on a public compound, East Garden, a lot of movement in and out and I remember times… you know we were normal brothers and sisters, so sometimes we had disagreements, and we argued, we yelled at each other and called each other names, that we would really kind of regret after we did it, just like any normal brothers and sisters. I remember so many times when we had these kinds of normal interaction that siblings do, then we would end up hearing these rumors within the community. They would start spreading, "The True Children are fighting. What are they doing? What's so special? What are they doing fighting all the time?" We'd hear these kinds of rumors.

But in that kind of situation, I really felt one of the real big hurdles of that kind of situation, of that kind of environment was when we were not necessarily given the permission to be human. We were supposed to be so holy, so perfect; we were supposed to be all knowing beings. I literally had a gentleman come up to me while I was skateboarding outside. He came up to me, maybe 20 yards in front of me and he bowed in front of me. He bowed and came to me and asked me for spiritual guidance. Now remember, this is when I was 6 years old. I could barely spell, "Spiritual guidance", I could hardly spell, "Spiritual" let alone give it. So we were underneath this kind of situation, this kind of environment. We were feeling this kind of pressure.

And I remember at times, all our family members are very passionate people, we are very intense people and we also love each other so much. We have passion in life and in what we do. And many times we did disagree with each other as normal brothers and sisters do, normal siblings do. That's normal interaction at home. And at times -- we were young -- I really do feel we did take it personally at times.

10 years ago, if somebody said to me, "The True Family will never be able to work together. It's just impossible. They are too strong personalities. It's impossible!" I would have almost believed you if you told me that 10 years ago. But what I saw, especially when Young Jin Hyung passed… and we started maturing and we starting seeking after the purpose in our lives, and we started searching for the meaning of our lives, the value in our lives, started moving towards higher and higher heights of maturity… and particularly when Hyo Jin Hyung passed, I saw for the first time -- I think I shared it with you all at Hyo Jin hyung's ceremony -- but it was the first time in our family when we really came together. We came together and sent our brother off, in such an honorable way. We really felt so happy about it.

And if you came up to me, even 10 years ago telling me that we could do such a thing, that that kind of unity would be possible, I literally 10 years ago wouldn't believe it. But what I do believe now is God is doing impossible things. He is moving things in our lives. He is moving things in our family, even things that I didn't believe could come to fruition, even when I thought, "Our family has reached a limit, we have reached our best days; they're behind us." What God was telling us that day, particularly when Hyo Jin Hyung passed away, He was telling us, "No, it's not over yet; your best is yet to come".

I really saw that. I really do believe that each one of us faces such obstacles in our lives. Some of you today are facing some obstacles, some difficulties that are hindering you. Maybe it's a sickness that you're dealing with, maybe it's something that you have no control over, such as a child that is sick like the young blessed child that we prayed for today. It may be some struggles in your relationships. It may be something that is materially giving you struggles, etc.

But what we have to know is that God has the power. His force, His power, His chi is more powerful than those things that are coming against us. Those hindrances, those obstacles that are fighting us, that are pushing against us, those archangels that are coming into our paths, they are no match for the Creator of the entire universe. We have to always remember that in our lives we have His backing, we have Him behind us, we have Him as our Father.

It's almost like this: When there is a force against you, when you are encountering something that is more difficult, sometimes so difficult you can't even bear it, then remember, that's a sign. God is telling you that at that moment you are right on the cusp of breaking through to a greater victory. You are right on the cusp of having a greater enlightenment, a greater step up in your life. Why? Because whenever you are facing greater obstacles in your mind, when people are coming against you more, when they are fighting you harder in your relationships etc. when you are encountering those archangels all around you, whether in your mental state or in physical people, physical situations etc, remember that those things are a sign.

The archangels are fighting you not for your present, not for your past; they are fighting you for your future. So remember within each moment there are 3 time frames that Father talks about. He talks about the past, he talks about the present, and he talks about the future being present in the present moment. Whenever we are under duress, whenever we are under difficulty in our lives, whenever we are stressing out about a certain obstacle that we are facing, remember: It's really the future right there, it is your present joy and your future potential that the archangel is fighting you for. He is not fighting you for your past, that's already done with. It's so important that we know that when we look forward in our future, when we look forward into our lives, that we see that the best days are still yet to come.

But so many people will say, "I don't see how it's going to happen! I just don't know how it's going to happen, I can't figure out, there's no way; it's not going to occur like that, there's no way." And the real thing here that I would like to convey to you is that you don't need to figure it out. It's not important for you to get it all mapped out. It's important of course to have goals and to have purpose in your live, but also to remember that those goals and purposes do change at times as we pass through life, as we move though the different phases of life, as we go through different changes. And to try to map everything out is literally impossible.

We have to know that in the end we can't figure it out 100 %, that God is going to direct our path, that He is going to prepare places, prepare people, prepare the right situations that we will need in order to progress, substantializing the dreams and visions He's placed in us.

It's OK that sometimes you feel a little stressed about not being able to figure it all out. "I don't know if I should move to Korea, I don't know if I should be able to live here, to put my roots down here, if I go back to my country or not." It's OK that you don't know it at this particular moment because God will show you the way. Keep open, keep reflective, keep your heart in motion with Him and He will continue to give you enlightenment and illumination. Remember, it doesn't happen overnight, but God never promises that it does happen overnight.

Even when we look at the story of Moses. Many times I talked about the story of Moses. There was no way he could see Pharaoh letting his people go. There was no way. Look at the story of Joseph. He was imprisoned for three years for something he did not even do, and yet he was praying, he was keeping his attitude up. He knew that he was going to get out of there. He knew that God gave him the power of revelation, the power of interpretation, so when the right time came, he would have the right person that would help him to be free.

David was just a sixteen year old boy when he was asked to be the king of Israel. But so many people say, "I am not qualified, I really reached my limit, I have an education handicap, I have no money, I have no resources. I don't have the connection other people have." But we have to also remember that neither did Moses. Moses was uneducated, he was poor. He was so uncharismatic. He was one of the worst stutterer in the land during his day, and God chose him. He chose him and gave him the mission to lead the people out of Egypt. That's almost an impossible task. In order to lead people you need to speak, you need to speak into them words of faith, words of hope. Moses couldn't even say, "I love you" without stuttering three times.

We have to know that God will choose such people. He will choose us even though we might have such inadequacies, even though we might not be totally perfect, God does choose us to do great things. Even Joseph was sold into slavery. He had no positive environment that he came out of. His family was very abusive; his brothers sold him into slavery. Can you imagine coming from a family where you are sold into slavery by your siblings! That's not necessarily a positive family environment. But yet Joseph was still able to become the second most powerful person in all of Egypt. He was able to control all the funds, all the resources, the food that was being distributed to all the Egyptians in times of famine.

David was totally unqualified to be king. There were so many people more qualified than him, so many more generals that could lead the people of Israel so much better, that had so much more experience, that had so much more education, that had led people, that had had so many wars under their belt, so many victories. But God chose David, a 16 year old boy, out there on the farmlands herding sheep, totally unqualified in human eyes, but in God's eyes he was exactly the right person.

It's so important that when we look at our lives, that we see with those eyes of faith into our lives, that we see ourselves moving into a direction of actualizing God's best in our lives. Remember, all it takes is really one good idea that can set your whole life into a whole different trajectory. God can give you one enlightenment, God can give you one realization. He can even give you a great patent, a great idea that eventually becomes a great invention that you can take and work on.

He can send you one person in your path that will help you, that will lead you, that will open up a new door for you, a new avenue in your life. He can give you one new opportunity that can totally transform your life. It's so important that we understand that these possibilities are always around us. And if we're not looking we're going to be missing each one of these possibilities; each one of these blessings will be passing us day by day.

It's so important that in our lives we keep our eyes open, that we keep our eyes of faith open, our hearts open, open to what God is giving us, open to what we are supposed to receive, open to what the future holds, open to creating our destiny. We have to know that God is working with us; He is working with you, each and everyone of you. You have a destiny to fulfill. Each one of you has an incredible journey to walk. Each one of you has so many people that need the talents that you're given. Each one of you has within your hearts, within your abilities, within your range of skills, something that somebody absolutely needs in this world. You are absolutely a miracle to somebody in this world.

And it's so important that we realize that God is connecting us. He is trying to connect us in that way. He is trying to fulfill our destiny. If we do try our best, if we don't give up and we live with that integrity, if we live with that hope, if we live knowing that our future is going to bring us things as we stay open, as we stay receptive, as we be our best and be excellent, God promises that He will do the 95% to bring those things to pass.

So what can we learn today? If my message is very simple, if it's very short and simple today, I really want to communicate today: Let us believe in our future. Let's be bold in what we are expecting in our future. Let's not just settle for second best dreams or visions that we have been placing in our hearts. Maybe, "It has never come to fruition. I really tried last time, it didn't happen." Let us ask again! This is a new time for God to work something in your life, a new time for you to step up as a blessed family; maybe something in your relations, maybe something with your children, maybe something in your workplace, to really shine as a blessed family and can really bring glory unto True Parents and God.

Let's not settle where we are. It's so important that we don't settle where we are. When we start settling, we start sinking. It's so important that we keep moving, that we keep growing in our lives. We don't say, "This is the best, this is as good as life gets." If we start living with that mentality, life only can go down from there. It's so important that we believe and we know that life gets better and better, it gets more bright. It does not mean there's not going to be obstacles; there will be. It does not mean there's not going to be people against you; there will be. It does not mean that there's not going to be situations that are going to really challenge you; there will be. But we have to know that life does get better. As long as we move, as long as we prepare ourselves and work with our effort, continually developing ourselves and improving us we will see those best days that God has yet to come.

I do believe that each and everyone of us in this room, including myself, has a great future. I want to believe for each and everyone of you today. I was dealing with a fever and a little bit of a cold and allergy this whole week, and I really felt," My God, I could actually pass tomorrow!" I was starting to exaggerate a little bit in my mind, but as you know, my brother just passed and I am also feeling, just personally, he is our biggest brother and he was a real pillar in our family, and really feeling the impact of that, and feeling really the impermanence of life; in one second we can go. I'm just thinking, "Hey, I have this headache, I have this constant fever, this constant coughing, I've got sinusitis, whatever," and I am thinking, "It's actually a possibility. The next day, I might not wake up."

And when I start re-framing my life like that, I start to realize how precious it is in our lives. It is so precious not to live day in and day out and say, "Oh this day is terrible, this day is miserable. I don't know, life only seems to get worse." We have to start changing the battle between our mind and body. We have to start changing the dynamic between our mind and body, so that when we start seeing our future, we do believe that God is directing our path, He does wish for us to be prosperous, He does wish for us to be fruitful, He does wish us to bring more victory into His life.

Brothers and sisters, I really want to declare over you today, each and everyone of you has something great that you must accomplish in your lifetime. You have something within you that you must give to somebody in this world. You may not know who that person is. It may not necessarily be your children or the people that are close to you. It may be somebody that you may meet in 5 years. But God had something planned for you, something that you will do to impact somebody. You may just be just a normal teacher but you may be teaching the next person who cures cancer. You may be in a situation where you will bring out the potential in that particular person, in the individual, even in yourself, those people around you, that will allow a great thing to occur.

I really hope that you can really accept this into your heart today, and brothers and sisters, I do believe that when we look into our future, remember there's 3 moments in each moment; there's a past, a present and a future. Archangels don't fight you for your past, your past is already gone. They're going to fight you for your present joy and they're going to fight you for your future potential. Don't let them win that battle. Always stay healthy in your battle, always stay healthy in your mind and body. Don't let them take away your present joy. Don't let them take away or steal your future potential. You guys have so much of it, and I really do wish that you will see more and more victory, more and more illumination, and more and more peace.

Brothers and sisters if you can receive this, let us give a big applause to True Parents on this day. (Big applause) Thank you so much! 

48. True Parent's Day Celebration Service (April 5, 2008)

Hyung Jin Moon
April 5, 2008
HQ, Chungpadong, Seoul, Korea
Transcribed by: Mary Annie Hapeman
Edited by: Bruno Klotz

Yeon Ah Nim's Welcome Remarks:

Good afternoon, brothers and sisters,

It is a beautiful day to celebrate True Parents' Day. We are truly honored and blessed to have you here in this sanctuary; and for those who are joining with us through the Internet, throughout the world, we are welcoming you as well. True Parents' Day was established in commemoration of True Parents' Holy Wedding Anniversary. Every year on the first day of the third lunar month, True Parents' Day was celebrated. On this very day, God truly found His true daughter and His true son. Happy True Parents' Day.

Hyung Jin Nim's Welcome Remarks:

Thank you. I'd like to share with you some of Father's words on True Parents' Day. He has this beautiful metaphor that he speaks about. It's absolutely beautiful. Let's look at this. Imagine, if you will, the whole earth covered with water.

Water is often being used as a symbol for fallen humankind. Thousands of years ago, one rock, representing the sacrifices of saints and righteous people, was laid in the ocean depths. Far down in the ocean, one rock was piled upon another, slowly and painfully, building the providence of restoration. On the surface, nothing was apparent. In the course of 6,000 years more rocks were gradually added to the pile. Finally, in 1960, the first glimpse of this massive labor of restoration emerged. That's the significance of Parents' Day, Parents' Day, established on March 1st of 1960, representing True Parents' Holy Blessing.

I love that one statement: In the course of 6,000 years, all those rocks being piled up, and finally for the first time, getting a glimpse of that. Let us understand that we are also a part of that rock that is showing. As True Parents emerged victorious, they now have children all over the world. We are their children. And because of that, when we look at this kind of statement, we can understand the value that is within us. We can see that for 6,000 years God has been waiting for True Parents and their children; that is each and everyone of you here, that is each and everyone of you, joining us from around the world.

Let us always remember how precious our blessed families are, how precious our blessed life is. If we do that, we will see ourselves from God's perspective, we will see with the right perspective, we will see ourselves from the right perspective.

Brothers and Sisters, I want to welcome you to True Parents' Day. We're going to have a really great celebration of praise and worship with the Two Rivers' choir today. We are really looking forward to it. Let's really give True Parents all we can. They're going to be here with us today, spirit world is with us, Hyo Jin Nim is with us; we are going to have a good time today.

Brothers and sisters, let's applaud again for Two Rivers' choir. Thank you! Oh my God, I see very shining people today. Brothers and sisters, there are more interesting stories to come, but today I'd like to introduce Pastor Michael. He's been with us for many months now, since we are here at Mapo church. Pastor Michael and Pastor Kyle will be sharing with us just briefly today some of their testimonies and some of their stories with True Parents. We'll see that as the interesting story part today, okay?

So let's all invite Pastor Michael to the podium. Thank you so much.

Asst. Pastor Michael's Testimony:

Good afternoon, everyone. It's quite an honor and a humbling experience to be here before you to share. Yesterday we were asked to share some of our thoughts and feelings towards our True Parents; and perhaps I've taken a more general perspective, but I want to begin by asking you some questions. Hopefully this will jog your thoughts, jog your memories. And the first question is: "Is it easy following the Messiah?" You are welcome to respond. Is it easy to follow the True Parents? So why are you doing it? Perhaps it's true that Unificationists are crazy? Crazy for love? Crazy for God's love? Crazy for True Parents' love?

Well, why are we here? And perhaps I could ask some of the older members "Why are you still here?" Again, the answer might be love, perhaps sincere, unselfish, unconditional longing for love?

Do you remember what Jesus said was the greatest love? Who remembers? Actually, from the Gospel of John, according to Jesus, "Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends."

Brothers and sisters, I'd like to ask you to travel back with me to October 31st, 1946, nearly 62 years ago. On that day a young man lay dying amidst red snow, brutally tortured, brutally, ruthlessly tortured. But that young man refused to die that day. That young man told God, "I cannot, I will not die, because I still have too many things to do. I still have to liberate Your heart, God. I still have to liberate millions, billions, and even trillions of people around the world." Of course that young man was none other than True Father.

Before even you or most of us and I were born, before we were even a thought in our parents' mind, our True Father was already laying down his life for us, sacrificing everything for us. No greater love exists than that.

Another question I'd like to ask you and this is a multiple choice question: Why do we, why do you love True Parents?

A) Because the Principle says we have to?
B) God says we have to?
C) True Parents say we have to?
D) Our hearts tell us we want to, we long to, we need to?
E) All of the above?

Well, maybe for some of us, or for all of us, it's a little bit of each. Right? But I think, if we look deep in our hearts we know that the best answer is D. Our hearts tell us we want to, we long to, and we need to.

I'd like to share a few words with you from the Cheon Song Gyeong, page 257, and Father says, "Due to the fall of the first human ancestors, however, both Heaven and Earth never saw True Parents. Thus God has never ceased working to realize His original plan to establish True Parents' Day. Before we can celebrate True Parents Day, however, we must first receive True Parents. True Parents are the central beings. They must judge history, rule over the present, and pioneer the future. The desire of people throughout history has also been to receive such True Parents."

The desire of people throughout history has also been to receive such True Parents. Deep in our hearts, I believe, we have always longed for such parents. Have we not?

Let us renew our hearts, commitment and conviction, to help them, the True Parents, to build the Kingdom of Heaven, the Cheon Il Guk, on Earth.

Before closing, I'd like to share a few experiences I've been having during Hyung Jin Nim's final meditation, during our services. And perhaps you, like I, have been having similar experiences. As you recall, during the final meditation Hyung Jin Nim is leading us to a meadow, perhaps peacefully walking before True Parents. But actually, I find myself not always walking peacefully. I find myself jumping and running around.

One time I found myself hand in hand with Heavenly Father, and we were spinning around. Another time I was standing on Heavenly Father's shoulders. Why? Perhaps it goes back to my childhood longing. Recently, perhaps last week, or two weeks ago, I found myself running behind True Parents and sneaking up behind them, tapping them on the shoulder, and running around before them. Perhaps True Father thought, "What a mischievous child."

What would I like to share through that in closing? I think that it's important for us to keep our child like heart before True Parents, but, at the same time, to also become mature sons and daughters, who want to take on the responsibility on our shoulders and tell our True Parents, "Please rest. Please take it easy. Please believe that we will take upon our shoulders the mantle of responsibility to build the Cheon Il Guk and to see it through to it's completion. Let us become such mature sons and daughters."

I believe that, if we become filial, loyal sons and daughters, and that will be the greatest gift we can give our True Parents on Parents' Day.

Aju?

Aju, Aju, Aju. Thank you.

Asst. Pastor Kyle Toffey's Testimony:

Brothers and sisters,

It is indeed a pleasure and an honor to be here and to speak to you on this precious day, where we commemorate True Parents on their Anniversary. There was no collaboration between Michael and myself, but I, too, would actually like to go back into memory lane a bit.

I personally joined the church in August of 1974. Two months later I found myself in a group called the IOWC, the International One World Crusade. I was 21 years old, and all this was just so new, and so wonderful. I had truly been reborn, because I know in my heart, that if I had not found True Parents and studied Divine Principle, my life would definitely not be where it is today.

So, it was an exciting time back then, actually. We had a lot of people running around a lot of places, and at that time it was the eight city tour in the United States, the tail end of that. So here I was, a new member, with hundreds of other church members around me, and we were from all different nations, like the representation that we have here, now, today.

We were brothers and sisters from Europe and from all over the place, from Japan. But in January, just about four or five months after I had joined, I actually found myself in downtown Tokyo, witnessing on what was the first global team of the IOWC.

I didn't know anything. I was a young member. I had just studied Divine Principle, and I went running off, leaving behind the country I knew, the people that I knew, on this wild quest. I think that each of you, when you joined the church, have experienced the fact that the first number of months your head is kind of in a cloud. You have experienced rebirth. You experienced) the love of God, the love of True Parents. You have really been reborn. Your head's in a cloud; you don't know what's going on.

Well, anyway, that first year I spent a lot of it here in Japan and in Korea. I don't think I really appreciated the opportunity to be in Korea in 1975, being (because I was) such a young member. It was a much different country than it is today, in 2008. But it was an amazing time; it was a historic time. Back then was the first time True Father has spoken publicly in Japan, in Tokyo. Also, it was the first public speaking tour that Father did here in Korea, ending up with the Yoido Rally, where 1.2 million people came and heard Father speak. It was really an amazing time.

But also I was able to receive and hear the testimonies of a lot of the older members. These stories were being told not second and third hand, but by the actual people who had participated in the stories. Michael was talking about the bloodied man in the snow. But hearing Won Pil Kim's testimony of that day, of that time, was really remarkable, and those people who witnessed and participated at that time.

And also it was historic to sit on the hill, down in Pusan, at the rock of tears, and to hear a testimony from a church member who said -- and this was maybe when the church had 5 to 10 people -- that they would sit with Father on the top of the hill and watch the ships come in and go out. He only had five members. And Father was telling them, "Well, you know, in the future, what I'm going to do is bring young people from all over the world, and bring them right here to Pusan."

Well, about 20 years later, the IOWC, the first global team, 700 people, young people from around the world, came into the port of Pusan on a ferry, to serve True Parents. So it was a really amazing time, to get the personal testimonies to hear, and to be a part of a historical event. That was 1975.

January 1976, I found myself in Arkadelphia, Arkansas, by myself, alone, very, very alone. 1976 was an amazing time where we had Yankee Stadium, Washington Monument. And one of the things that True Father wanted to do was send out pioneers to all corners of the United States. All the Americans had come back from Asia, and we were sent out as pioneers. I was sent out to Arkadelphia, Arkansas. Does anyone know where Arkadelphia, Arkansas is? I'm still not sure where it is.

1976 was actually a very tough year for me; and it started out in Arkadelphia, Arkansas. The whole year was tough. I really felt that I was failing God, failing True Parents. I really felt as if I was letting God down. As a pioneer I was unsuccessful; as a fundraiser I was unsuccessful. I really felt I was disappointing True Parents. But the culmination of all this came on Christmas Day 1976. My parents, my own physical parents, were living in New Jersey, and I was in New York, not too far away. And I told my parents at that time, that I could come home for Christmas; and they said, "Well, the only way we would want you home for Christmas, is if you left the Unification movement."

Well, they made up my mind really quick. So instead of being with my family I was able to attend Christmas Day at the Manhattan Center with True Parents, where True Father was speaking; and for me that was a great blessing.

That day I was really torn, because I not only felt like a failure, but now I felt like my parents had disowned me, and I was feeling really lost. So as Father was standing on the stage and talking I wasn't really listening to what he was saying, not really listening. But I was watching him; and I was watching him very carefully. And I noticed that Father was being really jovial and happy that day, and encouraging and embracing.

And it dawned on me at that time that the reason that Father was being so warm and embracing - we've seen the other side of him too -- was because it was Christmas Day. As people of European descent, Westerners, we normally spend this time with our physical families. And we couldn't be with our physical families. So Father was being very jovial and happy.

And at one point True Father was talking about how we were going to embrace the whole world, and Father was prancing around the stage like this, with his arms stretched out, his head up, and talking about how we were going to grab on to the world. Everybody was laughing, and everybody was joyful, but I was just watching. Because when I looked at Father, I noticed that Father's arm doesn't really go out all the way; his neck is not able to be stretched out completely. And all the stories, all the images that I had heard previously about what Father's life was, all of a sudden came flooding to me, about what Father had to go through to be there on that stage, on that day.

Then the question came to me, "What did Father do in his life to deserve the punishment that he had received in his life? What had he done, what was his sin? What was his crime?" His only crime was that he loved me. His only sin was that he wanted to reach out to me. And he knew that if he didn't go this way, he couldn't reach me, he could not save me and my brothers and sisters. And even though he had gone through all that, he could still stand on the stage and try to make me feel good. When everyone around was laughing and applauding, I was crying.

So tomorrow might be the day we commemorate True Parents' Anniversary as True Parents' Day. For me Christmas Day is the True Parents' Day, when I came to understand what Father had gone through to give me life, to give us all life, to give this whole world life. Aju.

Hyung Jin Nim's Message:

Personally, I'd like to thank Pastor Kyle and Pastor Michael once more. Can we give them a round of applause?

It's so precious to be able to hear these testimonies and the wisdom of our brothers and sisters, so many wonderful and rich experiences with True Parents. On this day I'd actually like to share a little bit of my own, just very briefly. I won't go as long as normal; I'll just speak briefly.

When we look at normal philosophy there's such a thing as a "dilemma". I'm sure you've all heard of a dilemma, and that basically means in Latin that there are two choices, or two propositions. It's a dilemma. When we look at Indian philosophy, there is something called a tetra lemma, which is four propositions. A dilemma is a choice between this or that, right? Two things. A tetra lemma is a choice between one: this, two: that, three: this and that, and four: neither this nor that.

Okay, this is very standard in both Hindu and Buddhist philosophy. But in some of these major traditions -- and what I was reflecting on is in the Buddhist tradition -- there the highest answer to these choices, when a teacher is being asked something. And that is an answer that only the highest person can give. It is an answer without words. And of course, anybody can do it, anybody can try to answer without words, but when an un-actualized person does this, this person is seen in the tradition as an impostor, because he is simply copying the external form without having realized the internal character or perfecting his internal character.

When I was in my first seven-year course I was bald and a practicing vegetarian. I was into vegetarianism at that time. I was octo-vegetarian. I did consume eggs, but not any types of meat. And I remember, at one time, that we were at Chung Pyung, all gathered around the table, and Father was there, and he started distributing a pork barbecue dish. I am sure we all heard about it. It's called samkyupsal. It's really porky. Now, for a vegetarian, that's quite an unhealthy sight.

Yes, I'm sitting at the table, with my bald head and my robes, with my brothers and my sisters. And Father is calling us up, one at a time, "Come over here and let me give you some samkyupsal. Come over here and let me give you some samkyupsal." And I know my time is coming. I know I'm going to be called.

So here I am, waiting, I'm closing my eyes, and I'm trying not to visualize the pork barbecue, the samkyupsal. And Father inevitably calls me up. He says, "Come here my boy, I want to give you some pork barbecue, samkyupsal."

At that moment all of my brothers and sisters are looking at me, and they're saying, "Are you going to eat it?" I was standing there, really in a conundrum, really feeling I was dealing with a tetra lemma. When I was in that situation, I decided, "I'm going to take this," and I accepted the pork barbecue samkyupsal. I accepted that very porky, oily, barbecue pork.

Now, please recall, I was a very strict vegetarian. I was in a very strict practice, so I never consumed meat, only eggs. I was very strict. This was going on for about five years at that time. And when I moved to Korea eventually, when my seven-year course was finished, I grew back luscious, black hair, and I started reflecting on that moment, when I consumed that pork barbecue samkyupsal.

I realized actually, that Father was giving me a very important teaching there. When we started ministry, Father, whenever we saw him, he always said to us, "Don't do too much. Stay healthy." He said, "I'm worried about your health. Take care of your health. I'm worried. You've got to be alive."

And whenever I would visit him after services on Mondays and Tuesdays -- and he continues to do it to this day -- he would say, "I want to take you to get samkyupsal; I want to take you to get pork barbecue." And what I really realized was that Father at that time was teaching me without words.

When Father was a young man, he grew up -- as you all know -- he grew up in very impoverished conditions. And at that time there were bouts of famine. So during the war many of the members, including Father, had to peel bark from the trees and cook that, boil it and eat it as soup in order to feed themselves. And a real feast during that time, something seen as very healthy for the body, was samkyupsal, was pork.

And when I reflected on that, I realized that for Father eating that very savory pork barbecue, for him it is a real protein source for health and vitality. And I realized that what Father was saying to me was "Son, I want you to be healthy. I want you to be able to go around and talk about what I do. Son, I love you, and I'm proud of you, I want you to be healthy… stay healthy." I realized he was saying that to me.

One day I found myself, actually with some of my brothers and sisters, and a couple of nieces and nephews, at a Samkyupsal restaurant, with True Parents, just a couple of mountains away from Chung Pyung. And there I had a really unforgettable experience. It was one of those country side restaurants, that is really like a hut. They've got this smoke thing in the middle, and it's fiery and smoky. The samkyupsal is flying all over the place, and I found myself here, wrapping samkyupsal, and I saw my niece feed True Mother. Here she was, she wrapped a beautiful samkyupsal and she fed True Mother! And I was inspired. I said "Oh, that's wonderful, I want to do that. How come I didn't think of that in my lifetime? I want to do that."

So I started mustering up the strength, as I was folding the samkyupsal in beautiful ken nip, you know, the beautiful little leaves, and put the samchang in, and put the roasted garlic in there.

Ooooh! I see that you guys have seen samkyupsal before. I started preparing that, and I started remembering the time when I was a vegetarian and Father gave me that samkyupsal, and how he was saying to me, "Son, stay healthy, Son, I love you; I'm proud of you. I want you to take care of yourself; be healthy." I understood that that was what he meant.

As I was folding the samkyupsal and preparing it for him, I was trying to prepare it with that kind of heart. And I reached down and I said, "Father, would you like some samkyupsal?" He's not a vegetarian but I did it anyway, "Father, please have this samkyupsal." And Father, at that moment, he just looked at me. Here I am, I'm kind of tall, and hovering over him with a leafy samkyupsal, and said, "Father, do you want this?" and he just looked at me. Then he smiled.

And in that moment of communication, when no words were exchanged, in that very intense moment, where there was a real mind to mind or heart to heart connection, I thought, that Father really understood what I was saying to him. I was saying to him, "Father, please be healthy. Father I love you. Father, I want you to be healthy. Please, you need strength. I want you to live a long time. You are the head of this family." He smiled in that one second. He accepted it, and it was an amazing moment. I've never hand fed the Messiah before. And when I did it, I had such a feeling of accomplishment. I'd been to Harvard, but this was greater, this was even greater than that. I really felt that I could communicate to Father in that one moment, in that brief moment," Father, I really love you, I want you to take care of yourself. I want you to be healthy."

I realized that it is truly profound to have understanding without words, when there is a mind to mind or heart to heart connection, when we can realize that sometimes words may dilute that moment. They may weaken the power of understanding or even the enlightenment at the moment. And I was so grateful for this teaching that he gave me, so grateful for this communication we were able to exchange. And I remember really feeling -- in that very split second -- so much of what True Parents are, so much of what they meant, so much of what they have done for us…I really felt this in that moment. I really felt totally accepted and loved in that moment.

And of course, when Father sees me nowadays, I always tell him that I have to head back up to Seoul, I have services to prepare for, etc., etc. Father always says, "I want to take you to get some samkyupsal." And now I understand what that means. So when I hear that, I say, "Father, thank you; I'll take care of my health."

When we are able to receive these kind of moments in our relationship with True Parents, with God, also with our family and friends, these moments that we spend in silent trust in one another, these moments of deep connection, when we can be in each other's presence and can understand our actions and the intentions, there is a powerful feeling of closeness and understanding.

So, in our lives as well, let us look deeply into the actions that we share with others. Let us also look into the intentions that guide those actions. If we do that, I do believe we will have a more enriching life; we will understand and come to more closeness in our relationships. We will understand the heart which is behind the actions. Even though at first we may not understand it, let us keep open to that.

If we can do that, I do believe we will have a wonderful True Parents' Day, and I do believe we will have more victory, more illumination, more VIP. Can we do it together? V… what does V stand for? (Victory). I?… (Illumination)... and P? (Peace). Thank you so much, brothers and sisters.

Let's gather our hearts, in a final prayer.

Father, we thank You for gathering us in this place. Father, You are allowing each one of us to come into Your heart. All of our brothers and sisters with us today, attending this service from across the seas, in different nations, all over this world, Father, we come to You as Your children. And Father, we offer ourselves, we repent for any wrong doings, that we may have done. And Father, we ask You to enter into our presence, making us the holy palace of Your peace, of Your love, and of Your lineage. All these things we pray, in our names, Aju.

Brothers and sisters, if we always keep True Parents enthroned in our hearts, in glory, I do believe we will have more victory, more illumination, and more peace than we can ever possibly imagine. Let us enter into our final meditation practice. And today, hopefully we'll do a little more modified practice today.

Let us now see ourselves walking on a beautiful meadow. You can also see yourself dancing with joy on this beautiful, blessed land. Please notice the beautiful stream to your left, the beautiful birds that are playing in that stream and washing themselves. Let us notice the beautiful sky above us, the vast blue sky. And as we gaze forth, we see a beautiful forest, maple trees and pine trees, and cedar wood. And we see True Parents waiting for us. If your heart moves you, please, as you walk, you may dance with joy, you may sneak up behind True Parents. And as we do that, let us find ourselves before them, let us sit before them.

Father places his right hand, True Mother places her left hand on our heads, and they anoint us and bless us, with their holy blessing.

Let us feel the power of that blessing flow through us, through each one of our cells, becoming healthy and blessed. Let us feel that flow of energy, almost like a wave of energy, flow from the top of our head down to the bottom of our feet. We can see that our physical body is radiant, is illuminating. Our spirit self, our spirit body, is also shining, full of light, as we receive this blessing. As we breathe in, let us say, "I am alive." As you breathe out, "thank you." As we breathe in, "I am alive." As you breathe out, "thank you." One more time, as our last breath, as you breathe in, "I am alive;" And as you breathe out, "Thank you." May you always be blessed, be well, and be safe. May you always be free from suffering and pain, may you be kind to yourself and to others with ease, may you always have peace in the heart of True Parents.

Let us open our hearts in prayer:

Heavenly Father, dear, most beloved True Parents, we celebrate you on this day; we honor you on this day. You have given us life. You have given us the chance to live this most blessed life. Father, we know that we may have had obstacles in our lives, but You have brought us through, every single time. Father, You are continuing to move mountains, on behalf of us. Father, we go forth with confidence. Father, we go forth with strength. We go forward with an everlasting love in our hearts for You. Father, we accept You into our hearts today. We offer You our generosity, our prayers, our love.

Father, be with us, as we go forth from this place. Allow us to have victory, illumination, peace, to truly become the blessings of this world. Father, we thank You once more, with an everlasting love, praying these things in our names, Aju. Aju.

47. Leaving a Legacy in Our Lives (March 29, 2008)

Hyung Jin Moon
March 29, 2008
HQ Church, Chungpadong, Seoul, Korea
Transcribed by: Cathy Quebral
Edited by: Bruno Klotz

Hyung Jin Nim's Welcome Message:

Brothers and sisters, I would like to share with you from the Cheon Seong Gyeong, page 1294. Father says here, "The family is the point where God's ideal can be manifested on earth, and where the happiness of humanity can be manifested on earth. It is the place where the work of humankind is finished and God's work is completed."

In our family we just experienced the ascension of our eldest brother Hyo Jin Hyung just a couple of days ago, as you all know. Really, we are so thankful for all the brothers and sisters around the world who are sending in their condolences and their support. We're really so appreciative. We're really getting so much strength from all our brothers and sisters out there, and I really feel that this was the case when he passed, and really, its part of his legacy that, I believe, he wants to leave with us on this earth.

You know that it's so important that when we view each other, especially in our families that we realize how precious we are to each other understanding the value of our children, of our parents, of our siblings. Any day, really, we can be called to heaven. But really while we are here, it's so invaluable to be able to recognize the preciousness and the meaning and the incredible pricelessness of each person.

I'd really like to encourage you to see each other with those kinds of eyes and see particularly yourselves with those kinds of eyes and see yourself from God's viewpoint. We can do that I do believe. We will live our life, each day, with a new birth in our hearts. We will feel the freshness of life. We will see the miracles that are before us. We will really value each other so much more deeply.

Brothers and sisters, thanks so much for coming here. I really appreciate all of you and once again, welcome!

Yeon Ah Nim's Message:

We visited an African family's house. Even though the house wasn't big, the house was full of warmth, creativity and love. We truly felt welcomed by these hosts. When we think about it, we could easily guess how difficult their lives must be living in a foreign country, a foreign nation. However, in spite of the different culture, language and financial challenges they face, they always try to live their lives by practicing True Parents' love toward people around them.

If someone asks me, "Who truly makes True Parents shine?" I believe that a family such as this, who never surrenders itself to its difficult circumstances, truly allows True Parents to shine greatly. When I saw this family and each family member's love and devotion to True Parents, I truly realized that they are the ones who truly glorify True Parents. They never stop giving their goodness to people around them. They always seek to find the way to practice God's and True Parents' love.

Brothers and sisters let us also become such a family. Let their example inspire us and let us be such a family to people around us. Brothers and sisters, we love you so much and we believe in you, as you know.

Hyung Jin Nim's Interesting Story:

Before we start with the words, before I share some words, I always like to start with something a little interesting, with a fun okay? I heard a nice story about a nice little boy whose name is Michael and he wasn't doing the best in school. He was going to public school and his mom and dad met him one day and said, "Michael, you know what, we're thinking that you should go to Catholic School for just a year and to see how you may be able to improve your grades, and we hear that the nuns are better teachers there, etc."

So Michael agreed and he went to the Catholic school. The first semester passed and he brought his report card home and he showed it to his mom and dad and he was a straight A student. Mom and dad said, "Michael, how did you do it? Incredible! How did you get straight A's? Are the nuns really that much better teachers? And he said, "Well, not really. But everywhere I went, I saw a man nailed to a cross and I realized that in a Catholic school they mean business." (Laughter)

The True Parents' Declaration:

These are my True Parents, the Eternal King and Queen of Peace, and Liberator of God's Heart. They have saved me from my past. They have blessed my future, and they give me true love, forgiveness and happiness today and I choose to receive it! My mind is awake, my heart is open wide, and from this moment I change forever! In my name, Aju!

Hyung Jin Nim's Main Message:

Today I'd like to talk to you about "Leaving a Legacy in Our Lives." When you look at the original Latin root word and etymology of "legacy," we see that it means something like "ambassador" or "envoy." You can think of it as when we pass our  stories on, the things that our legacies are built on, such as what people remember about us, what our children or disciples, our students, believe and practice in their lives, our messages that we leave in this world, our work that we leave in this world. All these things become our ambassadors. They become our envoys as we pass on, but our legacy remains.

And it is very tempting to say -- because it is guaranteed that we all have to pass one day, because it is guaranteed that we have to go to the spirit world one day -- it is really tempting to say, " What's the point? What's the point of working or trying so hard? I might as well simply just enjoy myself in the short term"

We can see two kinds of extremes here. There is an extreme of a hedonistic mindset where we say, "We're going to die tomorrow, so I will enjoy everything I can enjoy today." Or we can take a long term joy model where we say, "I will endure great suffering in my lifetime to enjoy the fruits in the afterlife. Or maybe not that long, but in five years, fifteen years, forty years we will find a prolonged, delayed joy. "

But in my view, I really feel that it is so important to not go to either one of these great extremes; but, instead to really approach our lives of blessing with a more holistic approach; and that means that we include both in our lives, short term happiness and long term happiness.

It is very important that we learn to live our optimal lives, to be the greatest blessings during our lifetime. Father has taught us that we take the goodness, the maturity, the blessings that we earn through our merit that we accumulate on this earth to the spirit world. So, when we pass, we will be of benefit in the spirit world, as when we are on earth. We will be of great benefit to people on earth.

So, it is very important to really view our lives as really that precious, that we can make a tremendous difference; particularly in this time where our family is really reflecting on the impermanence of life and on how precious life really is. (Refers to Hyo Jin Nim's passing).

When I look at the tradition of Asian medicine, there is the basic philosophy that in order to solve a particular ailment, you must not attack the symptom but you must solve the root. You must look at it holistically. For example, instead of prescribing medicine for a cold or even a tummy ache, what many Asian medicine doctors will do is prescribe good healthy habits.

I haven't seen it so much in Korea. But particularly in the Chinese traditions we've seen that in a lot of prescriptions, for example: Diet, modifying your diet, practicing Chi Do or Tai Chi, exercising, strengthening your base and your bones and your muscles and tendons. Other prescriptions, for example, would be: practice meditation in order to complement both aspects of your health, body as well as mind.

And so, I believe, it's the same way when we look at our blessed life. It's not enough to just look at one aspect of our lives and try to succeed there, but to really view it holistically and access and work on it as such.

But how do we do that? When we look at when God originally started, when He set out upon His mission, He began with purpose. He began with the purpose of creation and He also incorporated His joys. He enjoyed and He wanted to have joy with His children.

I believe He really enjoyed creating the environment and the garden for His children to play in, to nourish them, to bring them to fruition and joy. And He focused on His strengths: on creating, on practicing true love, which is really living and creating for the sake of His children. So, He was focusing on those three aspects and that is what I want to focus on today.

It is key that we're able to focus on purpose, on joy and on our strengths. These three things in combination are so essential. Let's look at this slide. My sister did a very interesting exercise with me and I would like to share it with you.

It really is a simple rubric. If you want to live a more blessed life, the key is to identify what really brings meaning to your life: Your purpose in life. Another key is also: what brings you joy in your life, because without that, life can really feel mundane and not worth living. Another, the third key is: to identify your strengths in your life, strengths that God has given you in particular, that you can utilize, that you can be the best in the world at. Now, the key here is not necessarily each part in itself but how they overlap. That's the key.

You see the red portion right in the middle that overlaps with all three aspects? See this central key area that's blinking in red? That's our key. As we expand that key area, as we expand that center, our lives become more and more blessed.

Let's take a look at this! If we only focus on these separately, if we focus, for example, simply on joys, we can fall into hedonism and simply live for pleasure -- fleeting pleasure and this eventually is not satisfying. It leads to dissatisfaction and in the long run it leads to a lack of meaning in our lives.

And so next, let's focus exclusively now on purpose. If we only have purpose, at times we can feel very un-enriched. We can feel mechanical. We can feel as if we don't have enough joy in our lives, and we can feel as if we're sacrificing our lives away. And this inevitably, again, leads to resentment. It's almost inevitable that it will turn to such.

If we only focus on our strengths and do what we're good at, not connected to purpose or joy, we can be simply building our own egos. So, the key here is to be able to balance these three pieces, so that you're able to overlap them and have that central overlapping point expand and grow bigger.

I'll give you an example. This is one of the things that I did. I did it very briefly. I made a list very briefly. I didn't reflect for twenty years and then write this down. I just did it very quickly right off the top of my head. So, when I looked at my life, what brings me purpose?

I don't know if you can read it, but I can share with you a couple of things. Some things are bringing me meaning in life. Some things are bringing me a sense of value, a sense of purpose in my life. Glorifying our True Parents would be one of them. Creating a healthier, stronger church, that would also bring value and meaning to my life.

My family brings me value, meaning and purpose to my life. Being happier in myself individually and also helping others be happier, I find great purpose in that task as well.

Let's move to joy. Some of my joys would be spending time with my family, bringing joy to True Parents, training, playing with my kids, tea ceremony. Training I love that. Meditation I love meditation. Art of sword training; I love tai chi chuan. Other martial arts exercise, I really enjoy that. Asian garden designing, can't throw that out. Asian garden designing, I love that.

Reading, teaching, studying ancient languages; I like the art of brush writing, nature walking, walking the dogs, etc. So you can see just some examples of some of my own personal joys in that I really find a tremendous sense of pleasure when I do such activities when I participate in such activities.

And next are my strengths. And these are not strengths when you do this for yourself. Everybody doesn't have to agree on what your strengths are. It's how you view yourself. What are my strengths? When I view myself, what are my strengths?

I think some of my strengths would be: I'm flexible. I have some flexibility. I'm good with human relationships. I can do questions and answers. I believe one of my strengths also is commitment. I'm committed. And also I can listen.

I want to stop here so we don't continue, but these are some basic things: My purpose, what brings me meaning in my life, what brings me joy in my life, and also what are my strengths.

And I really would encourage all of you to jot these down. Think about it for your own life. What are your purposes? What brings you meaning in your life? What brings you a sense of a truly fulfilled life? What are your joys? What are your hobbies? It could be cooking. It could be machine work. It could be anything. All those we can include. What are your strengths? The key is now, to see where they connect.

So what I did is -- you see the red-highlighted things -- the places where they connect. So, for example, creating a stronger church, which would be in my purpose, or my family which is also a part of my purpose; and then, it is my joy to spend time with my family, or building relationships in church. I do that many times through a tea ceremony with guests that I invite in, etc.

And I think that's also connected to my strengths in human relationships, in listening and in being committed to my work, etc. So I can see there's synergy there. There's synergy between purpose, joy, and strengths.

But there were some imbalances in my life. There were some imbalances. There were things where I was not incorporating enough of all three of the aspects and so I did feel like something missing, something not particularly there.

So what did I do? When I made the list, I looked at some of the things that are in black. My joys: My art of sword training, my Tai Chi, my martial arts training, Asian gardening. It's all out. I don't do it anymore -- so I really feel something is missing, art of brush, nature walking, etc., things like that.

So what did I do? I started looking at those things, started seeing where I was lacking and started to bring them back into my daily routine. And so, for example, what I did was, when I go to Japan.... we travel there for a week and we have a very, very rigorous schedule, from 2:30 in the morning all the way until usually around 10:00 at night. So it's very intense, we're moving between churches, etc. It's a very intense schedule.

So I was getting really drained during the day. I had to give sermons, we were doing meditation, we were doing prayers, we were doing all sorts of things, family visits and all sorts of things and I was getting so exhausted; and I needed something that would help me rejuvenate my chi energy get my energy moving again.

And so what I did, I actually brought one of my wooden practice swords along with me. So there I am in the church, in my room, practicing, gathering my chi, collecting my chi because that's one of my joys, really practicing, training myself mind and body.

I felt that really gave me so much more strength. I felt that I could go on much longer. And I wasn't as exhausted as quickly and it was curing my loss of energy while on this rigorous schedule.

And in some other parts of my life, I began to start gardening at Han Nam Dong, the training center we have there. I started arranging rocks. I started putting stone lanterns here and there, so that I felt more connectedness to nature, more contact with the natural world, in my own joy of Asian gardening. So I brought that back into my life.

I started Tai Chi training every morning once again. I started doing my Tai Chi again. I started moving that chi energy once again. That helped me cure my backaches, and now I even do it with my wife we're doing Tai Chi together so that in this way it can be not only my own joy, but something that I am sharing with another person.

I started to walk in nature once again after lunch here during the week. We go up to the local park up here, take a nice little walk around the area, see the beautiful ponds, etc. And it really made a huge difference; very practically it made an enormous difference. I really felt much more fulfilled because I was connecting my joys back into my strengths and into my purpose.

So what can we learn today? Our blessed life that we will live becomes a legacy, our lives become legacies. They become legacies that inspire the future generations; they become legacies that inspire people that are living with us today. Also, our level of maturity and goodness in the physical world we take that to the Spirit World.

So it is important to keep improving that everyday; and I would really recommend, if there are any teachers here, do it with your students do it for yourself. Outline your purpose, your joys and your strengths. See where they are overlapping. Try to make the portions, where they overlap, greater.

Remember, one of the things, one of the keys was for example: I particularly enjoy martial arts training and so what I did was, I connected that to one of my purposes which is my family.

So last night, I was playing with my boys and also my cousins -- Hyo Jin Hyung's children are now living with us -- so I was playing with all my cousins. About ten kids were running around and they were all like beating me up. (Laughing) It was a fantastic time. I have my joy of doing martial arts and also it is connected to family and also to building relationships, which is one of my strengths, as I see it.

So, when we connect our things back, when we start filling the things back that are missing, remember, do it the right way. For example, in my life, if I just started martial arts training again, without connecting it to my purpose or my strengths, I would feel within a quick period of time, "Oh, this is tiring. It becomes work."

But instead of that, if we connect that to purpose like building good relationships with the family, if we connect it with strengths in personal relationships, if we connect it there, then it has a purpose, it creates joy and has incorporated my strengths.

So, let us not fulfill just one of these keys. Let us not just fulfill our purpose. Let us not just fulfill our joy. Let us not fulfill only our strengths. Those are all important pieces of the puzzle, but the key is: to blend them. The key is to make them overlap. The key is to find that center that overlaps that little red flashing center and keep that growing.

If we do that, our lives will become more and more blessed and we will live that life of blessing that our True Parents have blessed us to live. We will have more victory, more illumination and more peace.

Brothers and sisters, can you receive this offering today? Thank you so much. Let us now take the time to once again return to True Parents. Let us gather our hearts.

Hyung Jin Nim prays:

"Father, we thank you for this day that you have blessed us with. We pray that we may truly become the palace of Your peace, Your love and of Your lineage. Father, we want to, at this point, we want to repent for any of the wrongdoings that we have done in the past and we pray that we will move forward with strength, vitality and wisdom. Father, we thank you and we know that You are leading our paths and we are trusting in You. We pray these things in our names. AJU!"

Hyung Jin Nim's concluding words:

If we do that, brothers and sisters, if we always keep True Parents in our hearts, if we always keep that true love flowing, if we always keep our purpose, our joys and our strengths combined, moving together, we will have more victory, more illumination and more peace than we can ever possibly imagine.