[Hyojeong Report]
By Nobukuni Kono, 2nd Class UPA Shin-Top Gun Missionary
Today, I would like to report on the reflection, feelings, and results of my 120-day witnessing course last summer.
My mission country is Bolivia in the New Central and South America region. Bolivia is a passionate nation where the entire church goes out to witness every week after Sunday Service. Our witnessing method involves inviting university students to the center, showing them Principle lecture videos, and providing introductions to True Parents and education on faith life according to each contact’s level. Although the 120-day witnessing course began in such a passionate country, I faced difficulties because my Spanish was poor. Even when I went out to witness, I couldn’t communicate, and even when I found a contact, they wouldn’t return to the center, which made me feel very frustrated. I deeply agonized over how to witness successfully, but the harder I tried to create results, the more difficult it became. I also went to the Cheon Shim Won to pray, but looking back, it seems I was only asking Heavenly Parent to make my witnessing successful.
As time was simply passing by, I heard shocking news. It was the news that True Mother was being detained in a detention center. The moment I heard that news, my mind went completely blank. At first, I couldn’t believe it, and as I prayed, I felt that it happened because I had failed to fulfill my responsibility. From that point on, I began to criticize myself, and I lost sight of why I was even witnessing. I didn’t want to go out to witness anymore, and I just wished for the 120-day witnessing course to end quickly.
When I could not see the path ahead, felt lethargic, and wanted to give up, I happened to watch a video of the praise offered by Shin-Chul and Shin-Heung, the Cheon Ae Cheok Seung Ja (Cheon Il Guk Youth Envoys), during a Korean midnight vigil prayer meeting. (Including the words spoken in the middle of the video where Missionary Shin-Heung sang “Rise Up Again”)
I listened to that praise over and over again. As I kept listening, tears streamed down my face without my realizing it. Seeing the Cheon Ae Cheok Seung Ja, who are the same age as me, singing to revive the Shiku even though they themselves must be going through a difficult time during this crisis, deeply moved me. Now, the phrase “Rise Up Again” was repeating continuously in my mind. I went to the Cheon Shim Won and prayed desperately.
Who is the person going through the greatest hardship and heartbreak right now? It is True Mother. Yet, True Mother told us, “Do not pray for me,” and said, “Heaven knows your devotion (Jeongseong).” She also said, “I hope you pray and offer Jeongseong so that Heavenly Parent’s Will can be accomplished.”
Reflecting on this, I became angry at myself for losing the strength to go out and witness and for wanting to give up. I realized once again that what I must do right now is to bring even a little joy to Heavenly Parent and True Mother, and for me, that was precisely witnessing.
From that moment on, a desperate heart for witnessing took hold of me. When praying for a contact, I prayed so intensely that I sweat just to save one soul. Even when I went out to witness and faced language barriers, I pulled myself together and witnessed with all my might so as not to sadden Heavenly Parent, who was watching over me. Even when a contact stopped coming, I offered “name-calling prayers” (calling out their names in prayer) until they returned. As a result, miracles happened: a contact who had been out of touch suddenly came to the church, or a contact invited a friend, and that friend invited another friend the next day, leading all three to start attending church. As a result of the 120-day witnessing course, which I restarted with renewed determination, a miracle occurred, and I was blessed with 13 spiritual children. On the final day, there was a contact who said they would attend the church, and his name was Israel. Hearing that name, it felt as though Heavenly Parent was saying to us, “You did not give up; you have gained the victory.”
Unlike before, when I just asked for favors at the Cheon Shim Won without thinking of my own responsibility, I realized that the spiritual world moved because I offered Jeongseong, prayed desperately at the Cheon Shim Won to achieve victory for True Mother, and completely invested myself.
Currently, my first spiritual child is not in Bolivia but is receiving one year of faith training in Brazil. They are also conducting a 40-day witnessing activity centered on fundraising (restoration of all things). Although still young in faith, they said, “I want to witness to many people just like you,” and have determined to receive the Holy Marriage Blessing Next year. I, too, received the Blessing this year in 2026 along with my fellow UPA missionaries. Next year, I want to return to Korea and proudly report my victory in witnessing in front of True Mother.
Although I am still lacking and sometimes grow weak, I want to raise as many spiritual children as possible during the remainder of my mission period and become a filial son (hyoja) who can bring joy to True Mother. Together with the Shin-Top Gun missionaries currently serving all over the world, I will achieve victory.
True Mother, I truly love you. Thank you.