All Stories
You can look under specific sections under Missions or Special Times or at this page where all stories and testimonies are gathered in the order they were submitted. Here you find the whole jar of jelly beans mixed together. Enjoy the different flavors, and then share yours!
Pay now, or pay later
by Sam Harley Sometimes you pay indemnity before blessing, and sometimes you pay later. Tennessee wasn’t a big cash flashing place to fundraise in 1980. Doing a four way stop light outside of Nashville, a guy in a custom van (remember those?) waved me over just as the...
read moreMoonish Glossary
Glossary of Moonish Terms Author's note: This is intended to be an informal guide to help people understand the jargon we - Unificationists, Moonies, family members - use as we tell our stories. It is not to be taken as authoritative, and it is definitely not an...
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Maryse Gallagher has a dream
Maryse Gallagher shares about a dream she had a few years ago. In one scene she is in a ballroom with top leaders in the church and other important people. Maryse felt she didn't belong but then realized the heart was most important and that she should have more...
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Hil Llanto challenges the climb to the Holy Trees
Hil Llanto recently went to Korea and walked to all the holy trees twice as a condition challenging with his stroke and disability. Hil sees Cheon Pyong as a spiritually magical place where miracles...
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Susana Ginze witnesses to people she works with
Susana Ginze shares how she witnesses to people through her job of taking care of autistic children. She often blesses the parents and talks about...
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Stan Paczynski witnesses at McDonald’s everyday
Stan Paczynski has a witnessing condition everyday where he is dropped off at McDonald’s to talk to people about True Parents and Divine...
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David Stadelhofer joins in Berkeley in 1960s
David Stadelhofer, who joined in Berkeley in the 1960s, talks about his first impressions of the church and the teachings. The whole church in Berkeley only had seven members at the time. He was on cloud nine at first but later...
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The Lion’s Den
Sam Harley attends a Christian church group called the Lion’s Den where they grilled him about being in the Unification Church. They tried to show that Rev. Moon doesn’t believe in God and in the divinity of Jesus by taking a quote of Father out of...
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Robert Brown goes to India
Robert Brown tells about going to Coimatore, India in 1990 and how he witnessed to two different groups, one young college graduates and another group of young guys taking a karate class in a local...
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Hil Llanto, going through therapy can see who will recover
Hil Llanto had a severe stoke and now going through physical therapy can see who is going to be successful in rehabilitation because of their attitudes. He could see his own son who is in the autism spectrum persevere to make it on GPA. The secret you have to do...
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Robert Brown writes a novel, Down to Earth
Robert Brown wrote a book, a novel called “Down to Earth,” that can be used by members as a witnessing tool when sharing about the spirit world. He tells the process and reason for writing this book. "Down to Earth" can be found at:...
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Sam’s children follow his path
Sam tells how his children have so much energy, especially his oldest son. Everything his son did was 100%, he is like Sam with ADD. It looks like his son is not paying attention and yet he remembers everything...
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Sam overcomes his father’s mistake
Sam’s dad shook him as a baby to stop me from crying, so growing up he couldn’t stand anything crying. “How could I become a father with crying babies?” Sharing with his wife allowed him to overcome his struggle. Keeping it in the dark gives our struggles power, and...
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Jose Fragosa, prayer at World Trade Center
Jose Fragosa used to go on top of one of the World Trade Center buildings and walk one way around the top praying than reverse course and walk the other way to symbolize making a change in his life. After he got Blessed he did the same, explaining to his wife the...
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Caroline Cecile, we walked around Brussels
We set a strong condition of walking around Brussels, while praying for the city. We marched like soldiers, like Jericho. I was getting tired and complained in my heart. Later I found one sister was praying for me because she knew I was...
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Sam Harley, messy prayer
Have you ever had a messy prayer, a showdown prayer with God? Sam shares about resentment building against his MFT captain. He started to see his captain like he saw his own father, a good man but strict and...
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Group discussion, MFT, Fundraising and Washington Times
Keith and Katrin McCarthy, Sam Harley, and Caroline Cecile share stories about MFT fundraising and Jose Fregosa shares about being one of the first members to join the Washington Times staff working out of an empty warehouse. They would also fundraise selling Freddie...
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Fundraising stories, seeing others and with their children
Sam Harley and Jose Fregosa continue the group discussion, sharing more fundraising stories, seeing others fund raise and their response. Sam share about his own children selling avocados or for a school...
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Called to come to New York for music
Osamu and Elsa Tsuchida, a Blessed as a couple in 1989 in the 1,250 Couple Blessing in Korea. Osamu felt called to play music, base guitar and joined a band in Japan. He heard a voice telling him to go to New York and finally he had enough money. But three years in...
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Finally breaks through with a deep experience with God
Osamu went to seven day workshop but was having trouble praying. He was told he has to be so serious to pray, just like when you have to go to the bathroom and give your whole effort. After an elder Japanese sister shared her testimony he started to see from God’s...
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Elsa from Nicaragua, joined at 14 years old
(due to technical difficulties, not all her testimony was videotaped) Elsa’s family worked closely with the three missionaries to Nicaragua, and Elsa joined at 14 years old. She moved into the center along with her sister. Twelve years later she was to go to the...
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Serving in My Father’s House
by Joe Kinney Stories from my years with True Family Belvedere 1973, East Garden 1974 to 1978, Korea 1978 to 1981 Introduction I was very fortunate to spend most of my first five years in the church close to True Parents. I saw Father for the first time at 10:00 am on...
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Grandmother Hong – Daemonim
by Joe Kinney Stories continued Grandmother: her humility, working in the kitchen, working in the garden These days we hear testimonies from the members who attended the Chung Pyung Lake workshop. The central person in these workshops is known as Daemonim. The...
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Mother said, “Joe Kinney I love you very much!”
by Joe Kinney Stories continued The big scolding after six months of difficulty, accepting it, than getting victory. Father called for the bus, and then we went to Chinese, movie, and the beach. July or August 1977 A great privilege of working at East Garden was...
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Katrin McCarthy joined because God is working today
Katrin joined in 1972 in Austria at 19 years old. She met the church and realized that God is working today, even though that was during the time of the iron curtain and with so many people suffering. A year later she came to the United States joining the One World...
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Now, with Keith, we are best friends
I had my idea of who my husband would be, and it was not Keith. He didn’t fit my idea. I could have run away but didn’t. By the time we started our family we were starting to trust each other. Now in our old age, we are best...
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Nancy’s parents disowned her, she needed True Parents
Nancy Makowski shares how she came from her home country of Ecuador to New York in 1976 at the request of her parents who were already in the country. She met a Japanese sister and started hearing the lectures. Soon she quit her job and college which made her parents...
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Experience what True Mother is with her own son
Nancy Makowski shares a struggle with one of her sons who struggles with the church and with True Parents. She feels her struggle is the same as True Mother with her own...
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So different from her husband
Nancy Makowski tells how different she is from her husband, Don Makowski. She has always done witnessing in the church, where her husband did the fish business, MFT, loves playing the guitar. But he has a deep heart. Her children don’t know how they could make it...
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Two Inca brothers are around you
Nancy Makowski explains how an Italian sister who was the national Messiah to Ecuador said the spirits of the two brothers who split between Peru and Ecuador were around her and she has to restore them. So she went to a shrine and read in Spanish but was chastised to...
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The challenges of getting reBlessed
Sam had the challenge of getting reBlessed after his first Blessing was dissolved. He is now Blessed to a wonderful woman from Nicaragua who so far only speaks Spanish. Sam has passable Spanish and is learning it more quickly from his wife, Marta....
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Ernesto and Hiroko Gomez joining church, matching, Blessing
Ernesto and Hiroko Gomez are a MSG, 2,075 1982 Couple. They were matched without a common language and had to have an interpreter, such faith to be married in this way! Hiroko shares how her parents were Christians and helped anyone who came to them. Ernesto tells...
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Hiroko wanted to add Ernesto into Family Registry
In visiting Japan Hiroko wanted to add Ernesto to her family registry, but ran into some resistance because he is not...
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Gomez: National Leaders of Belize
Ernesto was chosen to be the National Leader of Belize and they lived there for nine years. They moved to L.A. in 2010, though they are still the Leaders of...
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Gary and Felicia Jones-Locke share about 30,000 Blessing
In the 1992, 30,000 couple Blessing, most were Matched by photo by True Father. Gary and Felicia shared how going into the Seoul Olympic Stadium was like entering a huge holy temple and they were up front right under True Parents. Gary talked about how he...
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Gary and Felcia share about their upbringing
Both Gary and Felicia come from Catholic background. Felicia’s family have now moved to more evangelical Christian. Gary and Felicia went to Israel with the church and now Felicia’s family members have all gone also to walk where Jesus...
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Gary and Felicia Jones-Locke continued
Continuing the story, Gary is from central England near Birmingham. He felt he was from the worst ancestry but must also have good ancestry. Felicia's mom is very positive and has also been Blessed. Both Gary and Felicia's families deeply respect the church and their...
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Nasser and Ully Zomorod share how they joined and their Blessing
Nasser Zomorod, coming from a Muslim background, escaped from Iran to take part in the Blessing. Nasser shares about living in a cave for six months through the winter to avoid capture leaving Iran. He didn't want to die before the Blessing. Ully Zomord, from...
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Nasser and Ully Zomorod testimony, part 2
This is a continuation of the main testimony from Nasser and Ully Zomorod. Ully’s parents are not religious and accepted Nasser, Nasser’s parents had no choice because Nasser was strong with them. Father said we have to be grateful before Blessing because we can look...
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Taught Sunday School for over 10 years
by Bengt De Paulis Submitted July 31, 2018 Spiritual disclaimer: This presentation ”Creation of DP Slides”, is not to promote me as a person. But to Glorify the Victory that was won long time ago 1935-42 - in Spiritual World by True Father, the Rev. Sun Myung Moon –...
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My Albanian experience Nov-Dec 2013
By Mr. Bengt de Paulis, a Swede living with his Blessed Family in Finland In the spring of 2013, the Nat. Leader of Finland Mr. Yoshizumi and I discussed what to do to get results in church activities. He also knew my desire for life in a warmer climate. ☺ He...
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My memories from Israel trip December 2003
by Bengt de Paulis Submitted July 24, 2018 17th Dec Early December we got information about a peace rally in Jerusalem. Since the Finnish church sponsored part of the trip cost, I could afford to go on the 17th and be in the rally in Independence park on the 22nd Dec....
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My reflections as the Swedish representative in Korea of the Cheon Seong Gyeong translation Team
by Bengt de Paulis I started in March 2008. It was a very gentle start by IngMarie, Sweden's national leader, asking if I could translate some of the CSG content. It was Elke, older Swedish sister who had hinted I might be able to take some of the load. I started with...
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My story 1976 to present
by Bengt de Paulis Submitted July 23, 2018 (originally written in 1999) Mysterious are Gods ways. After a breakup with my teenage girlfriend, I moved from Swedish westcoast small village Fritsla (70km east Gothenburg) to Stockholm 1976, where my two 7-year older...
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During massive stroke, Hil hears God, Father and Jesus
Hil Llanto had a massive stroke that he is still recovering from. God told him you know how to survive this, you know the formula. "I don't know the Divine Principle that well, what formula? Live for the sake of others?" Yes, that is the formula and it doesn't matter...
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God told him, “Your wife just joined the church”
Franklin Greenidge didn't feel qualified to go to the MSG Blessing so he declined. The next Blessing candidates had to be younger than 40 years old. Finally Franklin was able to go to the 1992 Blessing. Before that he heard God say, "Your wife just joined the...
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Uruguay BC wants to go to Canada
Corina Mendez, a second generation from Uruguay, came to Los Angeles to sell knitted key chains she made. Her goal was to be able to make money then go to Canada as an exchange student, who also participates in church...
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Struggling time on Saeilo, move to NY Church
Robert Brown shares about the year on Saeilo Machinery, 1983, pioneering several Mid-West towns, but struggling, needing spiritual food. Then for the first time in the church he leaves a mission. It works out for the best...
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Blessing candidates at MSG by 6am to avoid protests
Sam Harley shares about his participation in the MSG Blessing, but this first Blessing did not last, and then later his Blessing in Korea. Part 2: Sam shares about the second Blessing in the McCol factory, sleeping on 6 foot high stacks of soy...
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Dad gained ideal daughter-in-law
Peter Chen shares how his matching changed his relationship with his dad. His dad is from mainland China and would push Chinese philosophy on Peter growing up. But when Peter was matched to Klara his dad felt he had gained an ideal daughter-in-law. They were so united...
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Our children were the witness
Carol Takhar shares how it was to be matched and Blessed to her husband, A.J., who comes from India, from a Sikh family. But the visit with their children to India was the best witness to our movement, when the family saw how good mannered the children were...
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We didn’t even like each other
Sheri Rueter tells the story of her matching, first David was matched to a Korean who rejected him. So they prayed together with Sheri praying, "Please Heavenly Father, find a strong woman for David. They went back into the matching and five minutes later Father...
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Matching, going to be brutal
David Rueter, the spiritual son to his wife, Sheri, knew it was going to be rough. But later Sheri helped him restore his relationship to his own father and because of that was put back in the...
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36 Years of Wedded Bliss
Keith McCarthy reads the message from Rev. Kevin Thompson who gave the Sunday Sermon at L.A. Family Church. The Thompsons, Kevin and Masako, were on their way back to the bay area but sent a message to those celebrating the 36th Anniversary at the Du-Pars Restaurant...
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Not an American brother!
Nancy Makowski didn't want an American brother, thinking they only want sex and money. But Father lined up all these American brothers. She cried and decided American is OK as long as I don't know...
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Father pushed him against this sister.
Don Makowski shares about the Matching, Father grabbed his arm, marched him down the hall and pushed him into this sister, Nancy. When he looked into her eyes he felt he knew her for a long...
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Open to whoever, but when offered Japanese, felt this was right
Jules Hack shares how he was open to anyone Father chose, but when he said who wants a Japanese wife, that this was right for him. Both his parents came to the Blessing and although his wife couldn't speak any English, his mom felt she was very...
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Sex is great, but do it with God
Keith McCarthy tells the story of his matching. He looked around and thought, she looks nice, and her definitely not. Then when Father picked Katrin he thought, she's white, and she's...
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Michael Ginze addressed L.A. Church, 36th Anniversary
Michael Ginze shares how his wife was known by leaders, including Father, who asked "Why are you here?" She had been matched before, but that didn't work...
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Matched three times, challenges of the heart
Sam Harley shares how he was matched three times until finally he was matched to someone who was also in Performing Arts.
read moreAt Matching, “You, you and you get up!”
Stan Paczynski tells the story of the Matching, how Father matched so quickly.
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First to a Korean 430 Couple Blessing
Stephen Goldstein shares about his first matching and Blessing to a Korean woman who already had two children. She was from the 430 couple Blessing. After she left the church Stephen decided to find his own spouse and witnessed to Merce who he is now Blessed...
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Matching: Aztec and Jewish
Suzana Ginze describes how her first matching ended because the family could not accept her, being a Mexican. So she got matched again to a Jewish brother, Michael Ginze....
read moreYou are the one!
by Gregory Davis June 24, 2018 “When I was in grade school, back in central Illinois, one day a new girl moved to town. I was at that age when little boys find little girls interesting. This new girl was very different. She had dark hair and dark eyes, was Asian, and...
read moreBefore on MFT and now
by Sam Harley June 1, 2018 Just for fun I want to compare my life now with my fundraising days. I have several pairs of sneakers that are at least a year old. Most are still wearable. On MFT, the life expectancy of sneakers was three months. After that, holes in the...
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Chris Bihary sings about 45 years at flower stands
Chris Bihary at a flower stand shares what we have all gone through. Check it out! https://www.facebook.com/chris.bihary1/videos/10206659481105635/
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Las Vegas Pioneering Testimony
True Father’s hidden ocean providence project in Las Vegas Seiji Tanaka shares in March 24, 2014, we invited True Mother to the opening ceremony of Ocean Providence Las Vegas branch. Three years before, on July 27th 2011, True Father had convened a meeting with CEO...
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Rick Joswick, first Featured Testimony
Rick Joswick, We Were There's first Featured Testimony shares about joining the Family, the Unification Church in 1973. Part 2 1978 Photo, Back row: Joshua Cotter, Sheri Rueter, Rick Joswick Front row: Jonathan Gullery, Mark...
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Random Oakland memories
Here are some of my random Oakland memories. What are yours? This Sunday in LA church, Rick Joswick will testify about the early days of Oakland church. It will be available on video afterwards on testimoonies.com Followed by an open mic for others to share their...
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Sheri Rueter tells how they got Rick Joswick to join
Sheri Rueter shares about how they pursued Rick Joswick, going to his band performances until he joined. Then on the very day he moved in Onni Durst said he should go...
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The power of prayer and commitment
Keith McCarthy testifies about Rick Joswick's perseverance in teaching Divine Principle and his dedication to prayer and now being able to reach the young people in the...
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Robert Brown talks about joining the church in 1974
testimony by Robert Brown
read moreSam Harley shares about early days in Oakland
Testimony by Sam Harley about early days in Oakland.
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My Experiences as a Missionary in Uganda: 1975 – 1978
by William Connery April 20, 2018 My own experiences as a missionary actually began on December 23, 1974. I was working in Los Angeles for the last speech in the 1974 Day of Hope campaign for Rev. Moon. Another brother and I received forms to be filled out...
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The Beginning: Working with New Future Photo in 1976
by Ken Owens During the 1976 Yankee Stadium campaign, I was on a MFT team working the streets of New York. Since I had a camera, I asked to work with the church photographers for the event. I was given permission and went to Belvedere where New Future Photo was based....
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A Vision, washing God’s feet
by Ken Owens March 3, 2018 One morning, during my 120-day class in 1976, began with a special morning service. The staff members came in very quietly with serious faces and carrying water pans. We all knew then that something special was going to happen. David...
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Experiences of being matched
by Ken Owens March 31, 2018 Even though I have photographed many matchings, the one I most remember is, of course, my own. The person who would become my future spouse actually came to New Future Photo office to buy photographs for KEA. She smiled a lot and came...
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We didn’t speak the same language
by Jennifer Espindola Jen March 31, 2018 Our plane was late so we arrived on the last day. I was reblessing and had been to several matching ceremonies without success. Ten years had passed and I prayed "God I´m desperate,please let me get blessed this time" When...
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An Aussie in Mexico
by Randall Lay Tin March 5, 2018 A willingness to pay indemnity sometimes helps. I was the only Moonie with a Christian youth group on their walk into the hills (Queretaro, Mexico, 1980). Since it was late afternoon, the leader had a problem. He wanted to hurry...
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How I joined the Unification Church
by Ken Owens March 31, 2081 I lived in San Francisco during the late 1960s, and I was basically a shy person. My best friend was a Japanese-American named Michael Ozaki. Through him I began searching for more internal things. I joined the US Navy in 1971 and became a...
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