(Minghui.org) I began practicing Falun Dafa in 1996. My husband, his parents, his two siblings, and their respective spouses all followed suit. What attracted eight of us in our extended family to take up this practice? Below are some of our stories.
Falun Dafa was spread to our village in 1996 and I was introduced to it shortly afterwards. I used to have a strong personality and often competed and fought with people for trivial matters. After I learned Dafa, I followed the principles of “Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance” and eliminated many bad habits. I was able to look within and consider others first.
I worked in a coal mine at the time, and used to bring home scrap metal from the mine to sell for money. After I started practicing Falun Dafa, I knew this was not right, and stopped taking advantage of my employer.
I was able to control myself, even when others mistreated me, after three years of painstakingly working on my character. Instead of fighting back, I could laugh it off and examine myself for any shortcomings.
My husband witnessed the change in me and many miraculous things that happened to our family members, so he also began to practice Falun Dafa in May 1999.
His parents and I had tried many times to get him kick his bad habits, including drinking, smoking, and gambling, to no avail. We were thrilled to see him break these habits with ease not long after taking up Falun Dafa. He became more focused at work and was able to sharpen his skills. He in turn received many awards for his excellent work performance.
My husband’s older brother had poor health and often missed work as a result. His wife was not happy about having a unproductive husband and the couple often fought with each other. My in-laws, who lived with us, were concerned about them, but no one could offer a solution.
One day, my mother-in-law asked me, “Your brother-in-law is not doing well and his wife often fights with him. I really don't know how to help them. Do you think he can practice Falun Dafa too?” I replied, “Why not ask him to give it a try?”
When he came to our home, his mother gave him a copy of Zhuan Falun, the main book of Falun Dafa. “Go home and read this book, and it will help you.”
He returned one week later. We were surprised to see him transformed in such a short time! He had a healthy glow on his face, and he was more energetic! He told us that after he finished reading the book, he felt strong enough to return to work. “This book is amazing!” His wife was in awe of his change and would later also become a Falun Dafa practitioner.
My mother-in-law is a kindhearted woman. She used to have hypertension and heart disease. She was a frequent flier to the local hospital and took a bunch of pills daily. Her blood pressure returned to normal after she began practicing Falun Dafa, and she no longer experienced chest pain. She is now very healthy and full of energy. We are very close. Our neighbors and villagers all admire our harmonious life.
My father-in-law used to work in the same coal mine as I and his lung function was compromised. He also smoked heavily and coughed hard every morning. When his chronic obstructive pulmonary disease flared up, he would be hospitalized from time to time. We often urged him to stop smoking. But he refused, “That is the only thing I enjoy in life. I don't want to quit.”
He had a tough skin disease called psoriasis. He had rashes on his body including his scalp. It flared up at times with intense itching. It was miserable.
Although he had witnessed the changes in his wife, me, and his older son after we took up Falun Dafa, he was still not ready.
When my mother-in-law and I were listening to Falun Dafa lectures, he was skeptical when he overheard that a practitioner was fine even after being hit by a car. He mumbled to himself, “Sure, sure, no problem after being hit by a car. I don't believe it at all!”
One last thing that finally broke his defense was my son. When my son was eight months old, he developed otitis media (inflammation of the middle ear). Whenever he developed a fever, the ear inflammation would flare up. Our pediatrician told us that there was no treatment that could completely cure the illness, and we needed to help him prevent fevers. My father-in-law was very concerned and worried about him.
A few years after I practiced Falun Dafa, my son's otitis media went away. No more discharge came out of his ears! It was a relief for all of us. He subsequently hardly ever got sick, and he is now a healthy 26 year-old fellow.
My son's recovery without treatment convinced his grandfather, who finally joined us and began cultivating. He not only quit smoking, but also saw his coughing and psoriasis disappear.
My family is deeply grateful for Master's saving grace! We live a happy and harmonious life. The joy of cultivation is hard to describe with words. When one finally finds the truth of the cosmos, when one understands the meaning of life, one will persevere in one's belief.