(Minghui.org) I am from a rural area of China, and this is the first time I have sent an article to the Minghui website. I would like to respectfully report some of my cultivation experiences to Master and other practitioners.
Finding Falun Dafa amid Desperation
I was in poor health throughout my childhood, with constant headaches and severe gum problems. I also had stomach and intestinal ailments, and was on a very strict diet. I felt like an old woman at the tender age of 20.
If anyone upset me, I verbally abused them or physically attacked them. I had a short-fuse and didn't stand for any nonsense. People in my village avoided me like the plague and gave me the nickname “Queen of Hell.”
My life remained difficult even after I got married and had two children. My husband was addicted to gambling and we fought every day. He walked out on me after we had a huge argument and said that he wouldn't be back for a long time.
I soon found out that he was living with another woman. I was shocked. How could I put up with this? I was very depressed and considered suicide, but my children were still young, so I decided against it.
I started practicing Falun Dafa in October 1998 after reading the book Zhuan Falun. I realized that I should be a good person and improve myself through cultivation, and that the real purpose of life was to return to one’s original true self.
The Falun Dafa practitioners in my area met regularly to study the Fa and do the exercises. We used to meet in the home of an elderly practitioner, but later moved to my house. We have regular Fa study here no matter how brutal the persecution is in our area.
I hurt many people in the past, but after I started practicing Falun Dafa I apologized to them and improved my relationships with many other people in the village. At home, I strived to be a good wife and mother. My family life is much better now.
When I first started practicing, I studied the Fa and did the exercises whenever I had time. It was the best time of my life. I was always in a good mood, and my health had never been better.
Enemies Became Friends
My neighbor and I hated each other due to my bad temper. Back in 1997, the neighbors’ sheep ate my wheat seedlings, and I demanded compensation. The wife offered to pay for my fertilizer, but that wasn't good enough for me. The husband offered to pay me back with wheat, but I refused. I railed at them, and the wife and I had terrible arguments. We became bitter enemies.
In June 1999, my neighbor’s cows ate my cotton seedlings. They knew how angry I would become, so the wife came over and apologized before I found out about it. They promised to compensate me with their cotton.
I was upset at first because cotton fetched a good price. But then I remembered, “I'm a practitioner and should follow Dafa’s principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance.” So I put their minds at ease, saying, “The cows don’t know any better. Don’t worry about it.” I didn’t even check the damage. The neighbors were very grateful, and we have since been friends, and look out for one another.
The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) launched the brutal persecution of Falun Dafa in July 1999. I told people in my village about Dafa and tried to counter the vicious lies that the CCP had fabricated to defame us. But with the flames of propaganda being constantly fanned by the state-run media, many villagers believed the lies and accosted me when I did the exercises.
My neighbors, however, stood by me during this period of time. One of them told the villagers, “She changed for the better once she learned Falun Dafa. She was like the Queen of Hell, but now she is a kind and thoughtful person. I don’t see anything wrong with Falun Dafa.” They told the villages stories about my wheat and cotton seeds, which many found remarkable.
Fixing My Downspout
I had a three-story house built two years ago. Our neighbor had a party soon after we moved in, and one of the guests drove into my downspout and broke it. The driver didn’t mention it.
When it rained, water ran down the wall of my house leaving a huge stain. I was very upset. At first, I wanted to make them pay for it, but then I thought of what Teacher taught us, “...you should hold yourself to a high standard.” (Zhuan Falun)
I looked inward and decided to pay someone to fix the damage. But when I thought about the cost involved, my attachments arose, and I again felt like holding my neighbors accountable. Again I remembered that I was a Dafa practitioner. I was very tormented by my human notions and attachments to personal interest.
The next day, I read the following in Zhuan Falun:
“When something is at stake, or when you’re having problems with somebody, whether you can take those things lightly, that’s the key.”
I quickly realized that I should completely let go of the issue. I decided to fix the downspout myself and not even mention the damage to the villagers.
I have tried to follow Dafa’s principles and think of others first. My son even commented, “Had it not been for Dafa, our family would have fallen apart a long time ago.”
Witnessing how I changed, my husband is now more considerate of me and supportive of my practice. The villagers admire my family. They think that those who practice Falun Dafa are good people.
I have come a long way during the past 18 years under the protection of our Master. I will never be able to pay back Master for what he has done for me.
The above are just a few examples from my cultivation experiences. I know that I need to do more. I must be more diligent and live up to the standards of a Fa rectification period Dafa practitioner.
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