(Minghui.org) Greetings, revered Master! Greetings, fellow practitioners!
I'm a 70-year-old Dafa disciple who started practicing in 1996. I would like to share my cultivation journey with Master and fellow practitioners.
The Minghui website published “Editorial: Serious Teachings” on September 26, 2000. In the article, Master said:
“In the midst of the Fa-rectification, a god's single thought about Dafa determines his existence or destruction. Can those who've obtained Dafa regard things as everyday people do? If a person has obtained the Fa but isn't able to validate the Fa, does he still deserve to be a Dafa disciple? No matter how he persists in studying the Fa and doing the exercises' at home, he is being controlled by demons and is enlightening' along an evil path.”
I kept Master's words in my mind. I told myself that I must persist in validating the Fa, otherwise I couldn't consider myself a Dafa disciple. Since then, I have been following the Fa-rectification steadfastly, and doing all the things that a Dafa disciple should do.
I have been active in clarifying the truth, distributing materials, and making calls to China to expose the persecution since arriving in Australia in 2002. I began to distribute the Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party when it was published in 2004.
When the movement to quit the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) began in 2005, I started calling friends and family, persuading them to quit the CCP and its affiliated organizations. I later began making these calls to other Chinese people. Seizing every opportunity, I clarified the truth to predestined sentient beings when I went for a walk, waited for the bus, or dined out.
Master said,
“Wasn't their bravery in coming here a way of validating the Fa-rectification and placing their hope in the Fa-rectification? That's why I have said that we cannot leave them behind, and that we must save them and think of ways to save them! Even though they may be confused at the moment, or they may have lost their capacity to recognize truth or reality, owing to their concepts being warped by the Party culture over time, we still have to find ways to save them.” (“Teaching the Fa at the 2005 Manhattan International Fa Conference”)
I found phone numbers online, as they were not readily available. I changed the final digit of every number to reach even more people after finishing the previous call. I went on to a new set of numbers when I could no longer change the final digit.
When making calls, I felt a sense of distance separating the person and me while online. I then started using the term “we,” rather than “you,” saying, “We shouldn't be connected to the wicked CCP, as they are evil and we are good. Good and evil should be separated, and when the wicked Party receives retribution, we won't be implicated.” I found this means of communication much easier and more effective in convincing people to quit the CCP and bringing me closer to them.
I have continued to make truth-clarification calls to this very day, and along the way, have had many touching experiences.
On three occasions, I managed to contact CCP members during a meeting. This enabled me to get dozens to withdraw at one time.
Once, after persuading five young men to withdraw from the CCP, they chose my surname as their alias surname.
I remember clearly a man, who after receiving my call, said, “I've been waiting for you for a long time.” I gave him the software for circumventing the Internet blockade, and he agreed to persuade his family to quit the CCP.
Some, upon answering the call, even shouted, “Falun Dafa is good. Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good.”
Of course, there were other occasions. For example, one man cursed at me hysterically, but my heart remained unmoved. I called him several times and told him, “I'm doing this for your good,” and he became a completely different person. He then withdrew from the CCP, and repeatedly said, “Sorry. Thank you.”
Ever since Master mentioned the urgency of saving sentient beings, I decided that phone calls alone wouldn't suffice. If Master was feeling a sense of urgency, I should too. I made up my mind to travel to tourist sites and clarify the truth face-to-face.
I initially went during the weekends, but after my husband's arrival in Australia in 2009, I have been clarifying the truth at tourist sites on a daily basis.
With cars coming and going, and hundreds of people passing by, tourist sites are truly great places to save sentient beings. As soon as a bus arrives, practitioners greet the passengers, distribute materials, clarify the truth about the practice, and persuade the visitors to withdraw from the Party. We dare not waste any time.
As tourists stay at some sites for only a short time while taking photos, we send forth righteous thoughts in our hearts and simultaneously clarify the truth about Falun Dafa.
Some have agreed to quit in an instant, and even entire families quit. Some shouted “Falun Dafa is good!” after quitting the CCP. Others gesture with thumbs up and say, “You have worked hard.” I am truly happy for all these sentient beings who have been saved, and the more I do, the more energetic I become.
We also clarify the truth to tour guides. I have persuaded several to withdraw from the CCP. Saving tour guides is very important, as they can influence the tourists. I have found that the guides who withdrew have helped other tourists to quit too.
One time, when I was persuading two tourists to quit, they dared not make a comment. Their tour guide, who was standing beside them said, “Go ahead and quit. I have quit too.” The two tourists then proceeded to happily withdraw from the CCP.
One tour guide seemed very wicked at first. After getting off the bus, he held the evil Party's flag in hand, displayed a Party insignia on his chest, and even sang a Party song.
As he was also from my home town Beijing, I tried to get closer to him. But he wouldn't listen, and actively stopped tourists from taking our materials. He was very cunning. Yet, I ignored his behavior, and continued to greet and clarify the truth whenever I saw him.
One day, I suddenly heard someone shout, “Give me a newspaper!” That tour guide stuck his head out of the vehicle. I ran over quickly, handed him the materials and said, “Don't delay, quit the Party.” He replied, “I never joined the Party.” I responded, “Then quit the Youth League and Young Pioneers.” He nodded, “Sure.”
It took two years for this being to finally be saved! I was truly happy for him! He now no longer says bad things or holds the Party flag, and he no longer interferes with our truth-clarification to tourists.
I faced some tribulations last year. However, I negated the interference and overcame the tribulation with the power of Dafa. I found it very difficult to fall asleep at night after June 2013, which resulted in drowsiness that kept me feeling sleepy all day and night. Keeping my eyes open was a challenge.
I began to study the Fa more, and increased my sending forth righteous thoughts. After I got over the drowsiness, I began to cough, and had throat and chest pains. After one month of suffering, even worse things happened.
My stomach began to ache. I couldn't keep any food down, and the pain kept me awake all night. My appetite diminished along with my physical strength. As soon as the pain struck, I lost all my strength. I felt suffocated, and found bending over difficult. The suffering was so intense that I found this tribulation very difficult to overcome. I cried softly, “Master” and thought in my heart, “Hold onto Master's hands tightly.”
I knew that cultivators have no illnesses. I have the powerful Falun within me, and no diseases dare approach me. This was evil interference, and I shouldn't accept it. I studied the Fa day and night, and looked within for any possible human attachments. I also practiced the five sets of exercises every day. I thought, “Even if I had attachments, I shouldn't accept any evil interference. I have Master taking care of me and I will rectify myself with the Fa.”
Having been in pain for three weeks, I woke up one morning and recalled that Master asked Dafa disciples to let go of the things of humans to be able to have the things of divine beings. Wasn't the process of my suffering a means of sifting these human things from me? From that day onward, my body gradually recovered. I lost weight, but was nonetheless in good spirits.
I had only eaten a little during those three weeks, and sometimes even had trouble keeping that down. But I was full of energy, and my legs and feet were never tired. When I coughed, I wasn't able to talk upon reaching home, but I could speak at the tourist site when clarifying the truth and persuading people to quit the CCP. I knew that Master was giving me that strength.
Just as these tribulations passed, another arrived. One morning, I ran to the train station to avoid being late. As I crossed the road, I tripped and fell down hard. My first thought was, “Master, I'm fine. I must get up quickly. I have a train to catch.” I got up slowly, and managed to walk while leaning my body against the wall. My elbow was bleeding, but I held the same thought, “This won't stop me from saving people.” Finally, I caught the next train on my lame legs and clarified the truth at the tourist site as usual.
Once back home, I saw that my right knee was badly swollen, my left foot was black, and both legs were of purple complexion. It was more difficult going to the tourist site situated on a mountain the next day. But I had to go. I thought to myself, “Evil interference can't stop me from saving people. The more it tries, the more I need to go.”
Though I was undergoing physical tribulations one after another, righteous thoughts and believing in Master and Dafa allowed me to overcome them. I didn't let it stop me from clarifying the truth at the tourist site. In fact, from 2009 to this day, I have never missed a day of going to the tourist site to persuade people to quit the CCP.
I have always taken Fa study seriously since starting my cultivation. As a Dafa disciple, one must study the Fa frequently, study it well, and use righteous thoughts to do the three things well.
I do the five exercises after waking up, then go to the tourist site. I make calls to China in the afternoon, listen to Master's lectures while on the go, and read Dafa books at night. Every day, my time is well-used and my life enriched.
My husband has shown great support. He takes care of everything, so I don't have to worry about anything else. We have now moved to a place close to transportation. Going to the tourist site is now much more convenient.
Dafa disciples' cultivation paths are arranged by Master. Master provides the opportunity and creates favorable conditions for me, because I have the wish of saving more sentient beings.
Smooth coordination among practitioners is very important when at the tourist site. We therefore cooperate very well together. As soon as there are tourists reading the information on the display boards, practitioners who are holding the banners will tell other fellow practitioners to persuade the tourists to quit the CCP. Oftentimes, it is relatively easy to persuade them to quit. If one is not successful, another practitioner will have a try, and some people will quit.
We also share information so as not to miss any predestined sentient beings, and to avoid the occasion of a person being asked to quit twice.
Sometimes when a practitioner is physically uncomfortable, we tell them to study the Fa more, and step out quickly to save more people. In short, when we coordinate well, we are able to save more sentient beings.
Master said, “Saving sentient beings is first and foremost. Just try to save more and more people.” (“Teaching at the 2009 Greater New York International Fa Conference”)
I know that every day we have is granted because of Master's huge suffering. The Fa-rectification is reaching its end, and time is limited. I must seize the time to save more people, fulfill my prehistoric vows, and return home with Master.
Thank you, Master! Thank you, fellow practitioners!
(Shared at 2014 Australia Falun Dafa Experience Sharing Conference)