Elder K01 created a timeline of the pivotal decades of his adult life.
“I started working sometime in the 1960s… and by 1970, I was… promoted quickly at my company. After getting married in 1973, I made a lot of effort to believe in God because of my wife, and in consideration of her father’s request.”
He spoke of his upbringing, which was instilled with the strict moral codes of the yangban (elite or noble Korean ancestry). He represented this with a samo (a traditional ceremonial hat worn by those in scholarly or governmental roles). He recounted the hardships his family faced due to extreme political persecution, which planted the idea of leaving Korea early on: “I had thoughts about leaving Korea since I was in middle school.”
In the 1980s, Elder K01 moved to the U.S., where he faced significant challenges, including the pressures of providing for his family. These experiences deepened his spiritual life: “Life was difficult so I became more diligent in my faith.” Now in his later years, he wants to focus on serving others through that faith.
