(Minghui.org) When I first started to practice Falun Dafa, I did not cultivate diligently. I almost never went to a practice site and had read Zhuan Falun, the main book of Falun Dafa, only once before 1999.
Because I had not participated in group activities, most practitioners did not think about me at the onset of the persecution. I also felt that I had forgotten about Dafa, as I did not have any contact with practitioners.
When I saw the Dafa slogans on the telephone pole or the walls as I walked on the streets, I felt warm and excited. I shed tears. I picked up the Dafa pamphlets people had thrown away. I felt bad and wiped them clean and put them in my handbag.
When I found the postings had been renewed on the telephone poles, I read them repeatedly. I asked myself countless times, “Are you a Dafa practitioner?” I answered, “Yes I am and I need to step forward and act like one.”
Because I had studied so little Fa, I did not know that practitioners needed to validate Dafa. All I knew was that I believed in Dafa and Master from the bottom of my heart.
Great and benevolent Master did not give up on me. Practitioners began visiting me at my home. They invited me to join the Fa-study group to study the Fa, and do the exercises with them. I was moved every time they came, and I knew it was Master’s benevolence. I was confident at the time and thought that I must step out. I just could not keep indulging myself in ordinary people’s society. But then, a few days later, I became obsessed with other things and forgot about Fa study and Dafa practitioners' responsibilities.
On the path of Fa-rectification, fellow practitioners have been helping me all along. I kept stumbling and hesitating. I was attached to sentimentality and selfishness. But, fellow practitioners did not give up. They patiently talked with me, and unselfishly helped me.
While having tea several days ago, I heard a knock on the door. I knew right away it was fellow practitioners visiting me. Sure enough, a fellow practitioner invited me to join the group Fa study.
After the practitioner left, I asked myself again, “Do you believe in Dafa?” “ I kept asking myself this and always answered “Yes.” But why was I not acting like a practitioner? I looked within. I found it was because I had attachments. The only way to eliminate attachments is to study the Fa more and send forth righteous thoughts. I corrected myself, and now I have returned to Dafa cultivation and am doing Fa-validating activities.
I thank Master for not giving up on me and repeatedly giving me hints. I thank fellow practitioners for visiting me and not giving up on me.
Master did not give up on me, so should we give up on those practitioners who learned Dafa before 1999? There were close to a hundred million practitioners before 1999, and China’s population is 1.4 billion. So it was equivalent to there being one practitioner for every 14 people. If a significant number of these practitioners failed to catch up with the Fa-rectification, that’d be a huge loss. If the Fa-rectification ends now, how many people with predestined relationships will miss this once-in-a-million-years' opportunity?
Master’s benevolence, and fellow practitioners’ help and support were major factors for my returning to Dafa. Practitioners firmly believed that I could return to Dafa and do well. If I could return to Dafa, how many more can? Master wants them too. We are all Master’s disciples. We must strongly believe that former practitioners could return, and support them with our righteous thoughts. We should not discount them and think they could not do it. This single thought might stop them.
Many fellow practitioners vowed to help Master validate Dafa and to remind each other after coming to this world. We came to this world together. The evil tried to lead many astray in ordinary people's society. How can we not extend a helping hand? The knowing side is eagerly yearning for us to come and awaken their conscience.
It is my hope that practitioners can pay attention to and help those practitioners who have difficulties stepping forward so that they can also help Master rectify the Fa.