(Minghui.org) I started practicing Falun Dafa in 1998 when I was nine years old.
One day, someone came to our area to introduce Falun Dafa. At our neighbor's house, she played a video of Master teaching the Fa and the exercises. The room was filled with people. Out of curiosity, I also squeezed in to see what was going on. I had a very pleasant feeling and started to learn the exercises from the video.
When my mom saw me doing the exercises, she also wanted to learn. An elderly practitioner told us how wonderful and uplifting Falun Dafa is, and taught the exercises to us. My mother immediately began cultivating and all her illnesses disappeared.
“When one person obtains the Fa, the whole family will benefit.” ("Teaching the Fa and Answering Questions in Jinan," from Zhuan Falun Fajie) My younger sister's bronchitis also disappeared. When my dad saw the miraculous changes in Mom he started to practice Falun Dafa as well. My whole family was immersed in happiness. However, because I was a young child, I didn't really understand what cultivation was all about. I just knew that Falun Dafa was good. I studied the Fa and did the exercises with Mom occasionally.
The persecution started on July 20, 1999. Many people were deceived, particularly by the staged “self-immolation”.
Although I was young, I knew that what was broadcast on TV was all lies and that Dafa is good.
When I was in high school, I often brought my classmates home so that my mother could clarify the facts to them and tell them about the big wave of people quitting the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and its affiliated organizations. I also sometimes studied the Fa and did the exercises with Mom.
However, I stopped studying the Fa and doing the exercises after I left home to attend school. After I graduated I became a kindergarten teacher. The head of the kindergarten and my colleagues all praised me for my ability and work performance. I also clarified the facts about the persecution when I saw that my colleagues had some wrong understanding about the practice.
My mother kept encouraging me to return to cultivation. I saved the electronic version of Master's Fa lectures in my cell phone so that I could study the Fa in my dormitory.
However, since I shared the dorm with more than ten people and it was always noisy with TV programs, music and talking, plus my attachment of fear, I couldn't study the Fa calmly, let alone do the exercises.
I submitted a letter of resignation. The head of the kindergarten didn't want me to go and talked with me for a long time, saying that they would increase my salary and give me a promotion. Concerned over material benefits, I became unsure about resigning. Later, I thought it was too difficult for me to make a breakthrough in terms of Fa study in the dormitory, not to mention find an environment for group Fa study and cultivation.
I knew that I came to this world to obtain the Fa, and that I had a mission to save people. I mustn't waste this precious time for some personal gain. I must fulfill my pledge and return home with Master. With this thought, I became more determined to go back to my hometown and continue cultivating.
Master said,
“Make great efforts at studying the Fa, and you will be able to keep up with the progress of Fa-rectification, and you will in an impressive manner become a Dafa disciple who befits that name and is of the Fa-rectification period.” (“Fa Teaching at the 2007 New York Fa Conference”)
After I returned home in 2011, I tried to study the Fa as often as I could and do the three things well. Thanks to Master's arrangement, I soon got a new job and my performance at work was much appreciated.
It's quite common in China these days, as the social morality is going downhill, for parents to give gifts to teachers, hoping that the teachers will favor their children in class. Some parents also want their children to be given more opportunities to show off their skills.
As a Falun Dafa practitioner, I know I must measure these things against the Fa principles and not accept any gifts. Sometimes it's very hard to refuse on the spot, so I put the gift in the pupil's school bag to return it with an explanation. My pupil's parents have always understood when I returned their gifts.
However, some parents still want to express their gratitude when they see the improvement in their children and it's very hard to refuse their kindness. Once, a parent gave me a gift card. I returned it that day, but found that my phone bill had been paid the next day.
When it's too hard to refuse, I accept the gift, but pay it back in a different way, such as buying a toy for the child. Some parents were very touched by my upright conduct and sent our school silk banners as a token of their appreciation.
Praised by my superiors, appreciated by parents and acknowledged by my colleagues, I soon developed an attachment of zealotry, thinking I was someone special.
Through Fa study and talking with fellow practitioners I realized I had a strong attachment to reputation and being praised.
From then on, I tried to do things without the attachment of pursuit and gain.
One's cultivation journey is not always smooth and trouble free. Less than a year after I returned home, one day when my mother went to the countryside to distribute Shen Yun DVDs she was reported by some people and illegally arrested by the local police
I remained calm when I first heard the news and thought I must go and rescue my mother. I went to the police station with a fellow practitioner to ask for her release. At the same time, other fellow practitioners kept sending righteous thoughts to support us. I clarified the facts to the head of the police station and they did not say anything.
However, when I heard they had beaten my mom, I got emotional and angry and shouted at them.
Later after sharing with fellow practitioners I realized that we should treat any issue we come across with compassion and clarify the truth in a peaceful manner.
My mom was taken to a detention center that evening. When I saw my younger sisters we both wept.
I realized that I must let go of the attachment of family affection and cultivate myself solidly. I started to look inward and realized that what happened was also a test for me. I had always relied on my mom and she did all household chores.
Now, she was suddenly taken away and all the chores fell on my shoulders. My younger sister was busy preparing for tertiary education entrance examinations. My workplace was also in the middle of moving to a different building. I found it hard to study the Fa calmly with all this happening around me.
It was getting harder and harder. I was busy at work all day long, and when I got home I had to cook for my dad and younger sister. As I stood in the messy kitchen, I felt overwhelmed and tears ran down my face.
I thought: Nothing happens by chance. I must step forward to clarify the facts to people and police officers who persecute Dafa practitioners because they don't know the truth.
Because I was afraid, I didn't tell the kindergarten head why I kept asking for time off, and he became a bit reluctant to grant me leave. After I talked with fellow practitioners I realized that I must open up my own cultivation environment.
Master said, “Cultivation depends on one’s own efforts, while the transformation of gong is done by one’s master.” (Lecture One, Zhuan Falun)
After I told the head the true reason why I kept asking for days off, I found that when we treat what happens around us with righteous thoughts, people are on our side.
The kindergarten head told me, “Such a traumatic thing has happened to your family. You should have told me earlier so that we could work out some way to get your mother out. You can take leave. Go and do what you need to do. Take care!”
After my sister finished her exams we went to clarify the truth to the local police station, the Domestic Security Division and the police department. In the beginning I was a bit scared, but I thought: I'm a Dafa disciple and I've nothing to fear. I've come to save you! With such righteous thoughts, when we talked to them, they started to listen.
Some of them refused to listen no matter how we clarified the truth. I felt really sorry for them. Some of them had done bad things against their conscience in order to keep their jobs and make a living. Others wanted to get promoted and did bad things in ignorance. I truly hope that they can also be saved one day.
Master said,
“A Dafa disciple's cultivation is for the purpose of achieving Consummation in the course of validating the Fa. But as Dafa disciples, you are also saving all beings, you're allowing more lives to be saved and rescued during the Fa-rectification.” (“Teaching the Fa at the 2004 Washington DC Fa Conference”)
I started to distribute truth-clarification flyers and sometimes also posted truth-clarification letters. Later, with the help of fellow practitioners I learned how to make phone calls with recorded messages to save people.
During a group discussion, I realized that I needed to break through my own mental obstacles so that I can clarify the truth to people face-to-face. But I found it really hard to start.
Once, while I was making phone calls with recorded messages, I saw a lady carrying a big bag. I thought that I must save her, so I went up and helped her with the heavy bag. She said, “I can do it myself. Don't worry.” “It's no trouble. I'm going the same direction,” I replied. “You're such a nice person!” she said gratefully.
I kept sending righteous thoughts on the way that I must save her. When we parted, I gave her a Shen Yun DVD. She was very happy and asked, “Are you in it?” I told her I wasn't in it, but it was a grand presentation of China's five thousand years of divine culture. I said that the performance was wonderful and she should watch it. She kept saying, “Thank you. Thank you.”
While I was walking on the street, a kind elderly lady came to me and asked, “What time is it?” I thought this was another person with a predestined relationship and I must save her. I told her the time and gave her a Shen Yun DVD. She was very happy to receive it and thanked me. I felt so happy.
The next day my body felt sore all over from helping the lady carry the heavy bag. I thought nothing of it. Master has endured so much for us. We have no reason not to do well what we should do.
I hope that all fellow practitioners who are still confused will return to cultivation soon and not miss this precious opportunity which has not come about in millions of years. I hope we can move forward together diligently to fulfill our vows. I feel most honored to be with Master and Dafa.
Please kindly point out if there is anything improper.
Thank you, Revered Master! Thank you, fellow practitioners!
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