The Words of the Miller Family
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The Words of the Miller Family |
Seal
of The University of Rochester
Dear Family,
We of the University of Rochester would like to share with you a look at our community, and the ideal (as much as we are able to see so far) of Father's work here.
The University of Rochester is a private coeducational university, located in a metropolitan area of 700,000 residents. The University is comprised of seven colleges (undergraduate and graduate) and has a total student population of nearly 8,100. The River Campus (our home base) is located on a bend in the Genesee River and contains five of the University's seven colleges and its total undergraduate population of around 3,100.
In a university community, it is striking that the heart of the university (its student-faculty-administrative population) is continuously evolving and growing as people come and go. The undergraduate student population (our primary focus here so far) is comprised of people with varied backgrounds and interests, who come from all sections of the country. Through finding new members in each class, we will be able to perpetuate the Family here, serving as an introduction to the larger Family, and as a guide to Family centers for members as they leave.
University
of Rochester
As America's role in the world restoration is highly technological, education plays an important part in this role. Therefore, it is essential that the Family acquire members who are qualified and capable of leading America in this role. We, therefore, see that it is our mission to find and to be this kind of member.
Our witnessing and teaching so far has been on a highly "person-to-person" level. However, our social involvement on campus has been a highly productive means of getting to know many many, "persons." In this way, we feel we are establishing a good basis for our work here.
And, of course, Father has been guiding us to those persons on campus who can best help us, both in the spiritual aspect of our work, and in the more physical aspects, such as publicity.
On this, basis, we hope to grow. And as the response of the students here to the principle has been quite positive, we feel that the direction of our expansion has unlimited possibilities. With this in mind, we can only add -- Mansei!
In Their Name,
The Rochester Family
P.S. We think the University's motto is inspiring -- "meliora" -- "to better."
Wayne
Miller
Dear Family,
I'm very, very happy to have been asked to give my testimony of how I was led to the Divine Principle, because it gives me a chance to thank all of you, especially Our Parents and Father Himself, for being who and what you are, i.e., my parents, brothers and sisters. What more can I say?
As far as relating those events in my life (of course) was a preparation for this. As far back as I can remember, I've always had a very deep, firm belief in Father. (I used to call him God in the old days.) I was never taught to pray on my knees, but I remember sometimes I used to feel that I should, because I wanted to make an effort to communicate better with Him, and this seemed it might help somehow. Then one Sunday in Church I thought I saw Jesus. That sort of got to me. I'm not sure if it were he, but I thought it was at the time. (I'll have to ask him when I see him). Anyway, this made me really want to do Father's will. But then in junior high school, Satan redoubled his attacks and I guess I lost some of the ground I had gained. Nevertheless, I never lost my deep belief.
Sometime, late in High School and in my first two years of college, I started "feeling" that there was something waiting for me in my future. I had a sort of vision of myself, playing a very important role in the lives of many, many people, like becoming a national leader and saving everyone from something, but I didn't know how I would do this, because it seemed that I would have to become a political leader, and I never did like politics. Then last year, in my sophomore year of college, I made a deal with God, that I would become outgoing and involved with life and people and do whatever my heart told me to do, and I would leave it up to Him to guide me. So I returned home from School 'last June and my parents said they were going to California to visit some relatives, and they asked me to go along. I wasn't terribly enthused about visiting my relatives, anti besides I was in a rock and roll band which played every weekend, but my heart told me to go, at least for my parents sake. So, I did. In Los Angeles I met my cousin Susan Miller, and one evening, starting with the topic of flying saucers, I proceeded to tell her my life history, centering basically on my religious belief. So she sort of casually asked me if I'd like to hear what the Unified Family had to say about things, and I casually replied that I'd love to. And so I did, and so I'm writing this letter. All that I can add are the words of Robert Frost:
Two roads diverged in a wood -- and I,
I took the one less travelled by,
And that has made all the
difference.
I thank you for opening the path.
In the Name of Our True Parents,
Wayne Miller
Joseph
R, Stein
Dear Family,
It gives me great joy to share with you Father's Work, and the opportunity to establish His Family and His Kingdom on earth. Accept this, my testimony, with my deep love and earnest desire that my inspiration may inspire you hearts, as yours has inspired mine.
I have heard from so many people that Principle came to them in times when religious questions most needed answering. In my case, religious questions weren't bothering me. I had been brought up in a Jewish family which instilled in me a cultural rather than a strongly religious background. As a family, we had never been members of a religious organization, yet my family have always been people who have deeply personal religious beliefs. From this example, I learned that there was a God, I have never questioned that knowledge, because I have always seen a deep love between my parents. At the same time, my understanding of Father had always been kind of nonexistence. Sure God exists, but I had never explored or understood what this meant.
As I've grown older I've learned a lot from our family. Unlike many children of Jewish background, my older brother and I haven't had a life of financial comfort. My family has been fairly poor, and through this, many lessons have been learned. We'd been taught to work for what we wanted, and not to expect things to be easy. My parents have been remarkable teachers, although, like most parents, they don't understand what they've taught their children. The love that I saw at home was never confined or defined as "Jewish" love. Because they never confined their love, as I grew older, I began to realize that love and understanding couldn't be confined in any way to a specific religion. Also, through school, I came into contact with the Christian religions and their cultures. What I learned greatly appealed to me, and fit into what I had been experiencing through my background.
Skipping ahead to college...I became acquainted with Wayne Miller. We became fairly close friend. I remember one time last year, when writing a paper for a Philosophy class on belief in God, I went to see Wayne to discuss the topic. I remember leaving his room, saying, "It's sure strange that you're called a Protestant and I'm called a Jew." We had both come very close in our religious beliefs. To further complicate matters, through a lack of understanding on both sides, based on my relationship with a friend we shared in common, Wayne and I left school last year, not listening or speaking to one another. We knew that we'd be living in the same dormitory suite this year, and to even further complicate the situation, we both cared very much about one another, even though we wouldn't speak.
When Wayne and I came back to school this past fall, neither of us really knew what to expect from our relationship. It now seems very beautiful to me that on that first night when Wayne came back, we spoke as though nothing had been in our way. It also seems to fit that he had something to say, and that I was ready to listen. The Principle now fits, and I'm deeply thankful to Father for the opportunity that I now have to share His Truth with those others who are ready to feel His Love.
In Their Name,
Your Brother,
Joe Stein