Testimonies of the National Leaders’ Conference in Las Vegas

The National Leaders’ Conference in Las Vegas from September 21-23, 2015 was more than just a leaders’ gathering; it was a family gathering. Unificationist family members from across the nation devoted this time to honing FFWPU USA’s mission and vision for 2020 and giving their 100 percent to understand what Vision 2020 entails and how to interpret that into intentional action steps. Like a family, they created a safe environment to share opinions, disagree, challenge each other, laugh with each other, and discuss how to be productive as a team. Here are some testimonies and message from some of the leaders:

“We discussed so many things here, and each received something from here we can bring to our local churches. In our discussions we discovered what was very useful, and what didn’t really fit with our local churches. With these kinds of discussions and these kinds of meetings, I really want to let us feel and appreciate how much we are thinking of True Parents and our Unification family members. Let us become brothers and sisters—not just call ourselves brothers and sisters; let us become brothers and sisters centering on True Parents. I really want us to realize how precious we are to one another. Let us respect each one of us as our precious family, our brothers and sisters, and let us bring a great victory for the sake of True Parents. This means, let us take ownership.”

—Dr. Ki Hoon Kim, Continental Chair of FFWPU North America

“My husband invited me to attend this national leadership conference. I heard the schedule and I became really excited to come here, because I wanted to spend time with my family and brothers and sisters in FFWPU USA leadership. God has plans, and that’s why I was so excited. All of our brothers and sisters are really pure and precious, so don’t forget that.”

—Mrs. Tamme Kim

“What I realized in this time together is that our attitude changes reality. If we want a new reality for our family, it starts with us, and starts with the power of being grateful. Even though True Father’s life was full of adversity, True Father always chose to be grateful. Satan was left powerless as a result. In the face of gratitude True Father even forgot the names of his enemies every day, so that he had no enemies. True Father always forgave us for not doing what we promised we would do, and True Mother continues to forgive us as well. But we want to do this for True Parents, and we will.”

—Dr. Michael Balcomb, President of FFWPU USA

“My best experience was at Cheon Hwa Gung, to pray together with all of you brothers and sisters. I was really deeply moved by the spirit of my brothers and sisters and determination to do well for this country, and there are so many young brothers and sisters, with beautiful faces and many capabilities. This amazed me. The two witnessing testimonies we head were so different, very different cases and types of witnessing. Witnessing can be done in so many different ways. So I was inspired to hear such successful stories.”

—Mrs. Fumiko Balcomb

“I saw a lot of similarities between this and the Top Gun workshop. The approach was familiar—instead of teams, we had families. We also had three days that focused on emotion, intellect and will, just like weeks one, two and three of the Top Gun workshop. I also appreciate the focus on making a personal strategy rather than a national strategy. It used to be that the national strategy was just a bunch of information that I had to take some time to digest, thinking how to implement these things. But this time, the conference really helped me make clear the vision, plan and strategy, so I’m really grateful for that.”

—Rev. Kazuo Takami, Illinois

“I participated in the first Top Gun workshop. Forty years from now, you’re still going to feel this way! Maybe it hasn’t dawned on you yet, but True Parents bound us together as one. We’re going to live together in ownership and partnership forever. Our families and spouses and children. You’re going to pass down what True Parents gave to you, to the next generation.”

—Gary Chidester

“My family team started every morning with Hoon Dok Hwe (scripture reading) with Inguk Seo, I love it! It was wonderful. I really felt like I was able to make some bonds here at this table, with these people. The family structure was a really positive thing for me. Also, when I came here, I was expecting something different. I’ll tell you what I’m going to do after this conference: I’m going to go home and help my community in Dallas make their vision statement and mission statement, and I’m going to give them the opportunity to do what we’ve done.”

—John Jackson, Texas

“When I got here, I hadn’t seen a lot of these Top Gun people since the Top Gun workshop. And I’m from a small family, in general, and our family doesn’t really talk anymore. But when I saw these people again, I can’t help but reach out and touch them. I love them so much, after 21 days, because of what we experienced. I’m so drawn to them, and I think it’s just because we really experienced each other, we got to love each other in Korea, because we’re a family and we kind of know it. But there are different kinds of families. The kind that don’t always get along, and there are loving families. And I think we’re actually becoming a loving family. So when we have these experiences, they’re amazing—like, I’ve never enjoyed bowling in my entire life. But when I was bowling with Marjorie Buessing, and watched all of those gutter balls, I just felt her pain! Gutter ball after gutter ball. And I think that these experiences are so important, because I realized that a lot of times, when you know other pastors in the church, the only times you see each other is in stress. So you associate the people that you’re closest to with stress or fear. But now we’re starting to see each other at times of love and enjoyment and merriment, and it’s reconditioning the way we see each other, at least from my viewpoint. I really love everyone.”

—Andrew Love, Maryland

“True Mother’s been talking about Vision 2020 for a while now, and honestly, many people in my district have been uncomfortable because it was so undefined. But I’ve always said, she’s given us the responsibility. She has the big vision, and it’s our opportunity to use our unique talents and abilities however we can contribute. Now with a sense of unity and a sense of success, so I’m deeply grateful that right after the end of the international leader’s conference in Korea, Dr. Kim called this conference. Because this conference really helped clarify and define for me as a leader how I can pull and inspire the people in my area, to work with us to create heaven. We have a very practical tool to offer when we go back, based on this program.”

—Rev. Ernest Patton, Virginia

“What I liked about this program was that, at the beginning, Dr. Balcomb said that this was not a meeting of leaders, but a meeting of a family. And I thought, okay, let’s see if we’re going to feel that. And we did! It was really cool. Yesterday, when we were making those mission statements, it was hilarious. Everyone was competing to make the best mission statement. They were disagreeing, and talking it out, then coming to a conclusion together. And that’s what families do. If you could recreate this experience in your local church, we can express to the world how America’s changing.”

—Shinyoung Chang

“To be perfectly honest, after coming back from the Top Gun workshop, I’ve had this kind of unsettled feeling. It was an incredible experience and I felt so honored to be among the people that I was with, but also, looking back, I feel like I was a little detached from it while I was there. I gained a lot, I learned a lot, and I’m already implementing what I discovered while I was there, but I felt like it didn’t necessarily make clear how I was contributing right now. And somehow this leadership conference completed the Top Gun workshop for me. Everyone who was a part of the family atmosphere led me to feel so present. The goal setting, specifically, geared me up to clarify what I’m doing here, in the Evangelism office, within the next few months, and how we are all coming together to really bring about Vision 2020 in America.”

—Yoshie Manaka, New York

“I really enjoyed the entire program, especially the many testimonies that were so inspiring, and also when we set goals. Through this program, we could share a lot of our ideas and wisdom.  Even though we have different explanations, different words, I could feel that we have the same ideas and same feeling and same heart. Because of that, I felt we can trust each other, we are truly brothers and sisters, and we can work together as leaders. Also, I felt that God and True Parents really love us and really trust us.”

—Young Tak Yang 

“I felt so much of True Mother’s spirit from Dr. Kim. From the moment he gave the opening remarks, it was like True Mother was speaking. When he’s sitting there, I still feel like True Mother is sitting there. I am also a big fan of Dr. Balcomb and Fumiko. They are movie stars and I am their fan!”

—Akemi Krishneck

Stay tuned for more stories and testimonies of the National Leaders’ Conference next week!