🇺🇸Rev. Jeffrey Schmidt

I shared this story about eight years ago, and you might remember it. It goes back to 2008, when the Las Vegas dispensation began. Originally, doctors told True Mother she needed to live in a desert area for her health — she needed dry air. Somehow they picked Las Vegas. They started coming here and there quietly. The leaders may have known, but the members didn't. They didn't want everybody flocking there.

Just before Thanksgiving 2008, True Parents wanted to launch what would be Father's last mission — restoring Las Vegas, because it was the most sinful city. He wanted to make it a shining city before he passed away. So I think True Parents were in Hawaii, and on the day before Thanksgiving, they called all the international continental leaders to come to Las Vegas within 24 hours. The leaders jumped on airplanes, but one by one, they realized they couldn't make it in 24 hours.

Father then changed direction. He said: "Send six Americans to Las Vegas for Thanksgiving, and they must be there within 24 hours." Somehow, David Randall picked me to go. I made it, and we began the Las Vegas providence. We went there committing ourselves, not knowing when we would go home again. But it was fine — it was exciting. A little rough on my wife, maybe.

And so the Las Vegas providence began. It turned out to be the most intimate time I had with True Parents, because often it was just six, ten, or twelve of us together all day. There are many experiences I could share from then, but the one that came to mind today is this one.

I had known Father Moon since he was in his late 50s, and he was unprecedented in his ability to dominate his body. He needed very little sleep, very little food. He was stronger physically and spiritually than anybody, with so much energy. By this time he was 88 years old, but we all still looked up to him as the strongest man on earth.

We'd been out one morning after Hoondok, and we came back to this small house. It had an open living area, with a kitchen and dining area, and a little hallway leading to True Parents' bedroom at the end. There were just a handful of us. I really think it was True Mother who'd asked Father to rest, because he'd been busy all morning, and was so excited about what was happening in Las Vegas — he would go on and on every day. So Mother asked him to take a rest, and we were told: "True Parents are sleeping. The house is small, so be quiet." We were whispering, or talking very lightly.

I was standing there when, down the hallway, I saw Father come out of his bedroom and close the door. I think he was sneaking out, but he knew we were there. What hit me was that I was the only one in his line of sight; the others were over to one side. Father could barely walk at that time. He was literally holding onto the wall, coming towards me. My heart dropped, because all my life we had looked up to him as a giant. Well, he was 88.

I had no time to think, but I knew I had to go and help him. It only took five or ten seconds for me to reach him. He was moving, but crouched. Usually someone was helping Father at that time, the way people now help True Mother. As I was on my way to him, the first thought that flashed through my mind was that True Father's position is unprecedented, and there is a certain unspoken protocol — you don't just touch True Parents. No one really talked about it, because there were always people around him.

So my first thought was: "I really shouldn't grab Father's hand." But the closer I got, the more I realized that Father needed help. We are here for Father. I am Father's son. I have to help him. I can't just let him struggle. So much went through my mind in those five or ten seconds, but I was determined he was going to make it, and sit down. When I reached him, I pulled out a chair and helped him sit. He actually moved quite quickly, but it was hard — because you've known Father for so long, and seeing him in that situation wasn't easy.

A lot went through me, but he sat down, and then talked to us for about an hour. I have notes. Looking back, I can see clearly that Father knew we were there. Even though Mother really wanted him to rest, he couldn't do it, because he knew his time was short. He wanted to use every moment, and every breath, to share one more insight, one more direction — to help all of us, and mankind.

Father's concern was never himself. He just wanted to share more and more. He probably holds the record for speaking the most in a lifetime — it should be in the world records. Now I see Holy Mother Han in the same kind of situation. Protocol is one thing, but when you're one-on-one, you are their child. You are there to help them, support them. And we have to represent True Parents from now on.