Hoon Dok Hae with True Parents at the Original Palace

July 21, 2007

Recently I was blessed with the opportunity to attend Hoon Dok Hae at the Original Palace in Chung Pyung, Korea, on the final morning of the STF Assembly. A week before, when I heard I had been selected to attend, I felt that was to be one of the highlights of our one week stay in Korea. (Unfortunately not all of us could so we drew lots.) To attend Hoon Dok Hae with True Parents in the Original Palace is an opportunity that more than likely won't be possible to anyone else in my entire lineage. It was a blessing thousands of my ancestors never were able to do, and won't be available to thousands of generations of my descendants. I knew this wasn't just a blessing for me, but I needed to take it seriously as it was a blessing to my entire lineage. Part of my preparation was to invite my ancestors to be there with me on that day.

Upon the foundation of a year of frontline training, deepening my relationship with God and True Parents, and upon my week of preparation, I truly had an amazing experience on that morning. My eyes were on True Parents at all times while we were in the same room.

True Father seems so strong and I really felt such a youthful and desperate spirit radiating from him. Father made so many profound points such as the role of second generation to solve all the problems True Parents were unable to solve. Father noticed all the STF members and told us we need to research and find out what the Providence is all about. STF was our time to learn and expand our minds. Father spoke many times throughout the two and a half hour session, but the main feeling and point that came to me was how Father needs Second Generation to stand up and take responsibility and fulfill our providential calling. Father needs us to do something, not just sit back.

After Hoon Dok Hae, we were invited to have breakfast in the basement and along the way take a short tour of the Palace. As I was viewing a room displaying gifts Father received, I had this amazing feeling, like I was flying. Walking down the stairs into a lower room, I felt like I was on clouds, like the spirit world was letting me fly, as one would be able to do in the spirit world. The gifts were beautiful, but the highlight of them all were two large paintings. A guard told me they were dreams one man had about what the Kingdom of Heaven looked like. Several STF members sat there for a while staring at it, myself included. Such a warm and comforting feeling came over me seeing these two photos, knowing there is such an amazing place prepared by Heavenly Father for His children to dwell with him. I felt so much love from those paintings, and hope for the future.

We were also allowed to go outside on the front part of the Palace. Overlooking the mountains and the lake was also breath taking. If the Kingdom of Heaven was on the Earth, that place had to have been it.

The Palace was truly a remarkable home and dwelling fit for a King and Queen. Not just a King and Queen, but my parents; True Parents.

Knowing just a taste of the course True Parents had to walk and the love they have as parents over humanity, I was so happy to know True Parents could finally live and stay in the Original Palace. Fathers' words during Hoon Dok Hae also really ignited a flame under me to take up responsibility and prepare myself to carry on the Providence. All these realizations and experience I had would not have been possible or as deep without the past year of frontline training. God truly prepared that morning as a blessing for myself as well as for my entire family.