(Minghui.org) Greetings, respected Master! Greetings, fellow practitioners!
In July 2020, due to the impact of the COVID pandemic, the local Epoch Times switched from being distributed for free to being sold. Other practitioners and I looked for newsstands, and promoted and sold the newspapers.
Meeting All Kinds of People
When I first began looking for newsstands, I didn’t know where to start. After cooperating with practitioners, I was more confident, and we gradually found a way. We referred to a map, which usually shows where the stores are. We followed the map and asked every store. Some stores agreed to place our newspapers, and some did not.
In the process of selling newspapers, we meet different people with different attitudes. Some scold or ignore you, and some support and welcome you. It was really like what Master mentioned in Zhuan Falun about cultivating while wandering around. Some people were adamantly opposed to the Epoch Times. Immediately afterwards, I met someone who was very supportive and friendly.
I remember once when I was selling newspapers near a newsstand, a man pointed to the newspaper and then pointed at me and cursed loudly. As soon as he finished and walked away, another man immediately bought a copy from me. Without saying a word, he gave the money, took the newspaper and left.
Master said,
“I often say this: there simultaneously exist those who are against it and those who support it; those who believe in it and those who don’t; those who are good people and those who are bad; those who are righteous and those who are evil. Such is humankind, and such is the principle of mutual-generation and mutual-inhibition.” (Teachings at the Conference in New Zealand)
In order to stabilize sales at newsstands, we placed them in crowded areas, such as near markets. I met many readers who liked the series, “A Grand View on Chinese History,” and bought every issue of our newspaper in order to read the series.
People Awaken After I Change My Notions
I had a deep experience during this process, and I realized that when our notions change, it causes great changes in other dimensions. One night, while preparing the papers to be sold the next morning, I put 20 copies in my bag. Later, I thought it would not be possible to sell so many, and the bag was very heavy. I took out 10 copies. But after thinking about it later, I felt it was wrong. Dafa disciples should have righteous thoughts and not limit themselves, so I put 10 papers back into the bag. When I woke up the next morning, I was not feeling well. I didn’t get up early and do the exercises as I had planned. I had very negative thoughts, thinking that since my cultivation was bad, the newspapers would not sell well today. I immediately realized it was my thought karma and negative thinking.
In the car I recited, “Your Main Consciousness Should Dominate” (Zhuan Falun). As I recited the Fa, the discomfort in my body gradually eased, and the distracting thoughts in my mind gradually disintegrated. That morning, I sold 22 copies of the newspapers, which was unprecedented (all the copies that I brought were sold out, and I even helped the stall owner to sell hers). As I told each person about the pandemic, more and more people bought newspapers.
The stall owner is Indian, and one of her Indian friends came to chat with her. I couldn’t understand what they were saying. After a while, her friend stood up, gave me a dollar, and bought a copy of the newspaper. I looked at her curiously, because at that time I was only selling Chinese language Epoch Times. She said to me in English: “I support truthful reporting about COVID-19!” It turned out that the stall owner heard me talking about the pandemic and told her friend. Her friend took the newspaper and quickly gave it to a passing Chinese lady. Because she can’t read Chinese, she bought a copy of the newspaper just to support me.
That morning, the attitudes of the people who bought newspapers from me was very different from before. Their understanding side seemed to have awakened. In the past, when they saw the newspaper, they just waved their hands and didn’t want it, but that morning they bought papers from me. The stall owner joked with a customer who bought a paper, “I sell this newspaper every day. You don’t buy it from me but you bought it from her!” The owner asked me, “Why did they buy from you after you said a few words? I learned those words from you but why don’t they buy from me?” She was very puzzled. This newsstand usually only sold one or two copies of each issue. After a period of promotion, the owner could sell about 10 copies of each issue.
There are many newsstands under the HDB flats, but few people. In order to promote the sale of newspapers, we went door-to-door to introduce it. A practitioner and I walked to a house, and a lady was very aggressive towards us and scolded us loudly. I asked the practitioner if we should step away to send forth righteous thoughts first, but the practitioner said, “Let’s continue!”
Then we met a devout Christian. The son opened the door. He said he heard about the Epoch Times, and that his mother reads the English language Epoch Times every day. He quickly asked his mother to come out. She said happily, “I read Epoch Times on the Internet every day.” She asked if the newspaper was affiliated with Falun Dafa.
I explained that the Epoch Times is a media outlet. I further explained that many people choose to go to schools run by Christians because people believe that people with faith are bound by morality, which is reassuring. Similarly, Falun Dafa practitioners are cultivators, and a newspaper run by cultivators can be trusted. She very much agreed with me. I suddenly understood that if we just blindly clarify the truth to people, some people, especially devout believers, would not listen to us because they are loyal to their beliefs. However, this lady reads Epoch Times every day and naturally learned the truth about Dafa.
Another time a gentleman pointed to the computer in his room, saying, “Look at what I’m watching.” Standing in his doorway, we could see the computer screen in his room. It turned out that he was watching the NTDTV program by Li Muyang. We learned that there were many Epoch Times and NTDTV audiences in Singapore.
Taking a Step Back
I often meet those who criticize the Epoch Times. One gentleman had advertised in the Epoch Times before, but he later did not like that it criticized the CCP (Chinese Communist Party). He believed that the CCP was right. We explained to him, but he didn’t accept it. He insisted on his point of view.
The gentleman became more and more agitated and angry. At that time, we were standing in front of his house and I was in a dilemma—it was not good to leave but it did not make sense to continue talking. He was very agitated, and very resistant to the Epoch Times and us.
I thought we should take a step back. So I said politely to him: “Sir, it is fate that we meet today. If our words offend you, please forgive me.” Unexpectedly, as soon as I said that, the man suddenly clasped his hands together and apologized, “Me too. If I offended you, please forgive me!” He made a 180-degree turn and kept apologizing to us. I suddenly understood what it means to take a step back!
Master Arranged for Me to Meet People with Predestined Relationships
After leaving this gentleman’s house, we met a young Chinese girl. Practitioners clarified the truth to her when she was in China. She read the book Nine Commentaries on the Communist Party and knew how bad the Communist Party was and the misfortunes that Dafa disciples encountered in China. When we mentioned the persecution, she wept. I saw that she was very kind and understood a lot of the truth, so I told her about Zhuan Falun. I happened have a copy of Zhuan Falun in my bag and lent it to her. She accepted it excitedly and said that she would buy a book as soon as possible and return my book to me.
After a few days, she contacted me to return the book. When we met, she said that after meeting us that day, she hoped that the two Chinese women who lived with her could take her to a bookstore to buy the book. She rarely goes out except for work, and thus she was not familiar with the area and doesn’t know how to get to the bookstore. However, the two sisters were very resistant to Dafa and strongly opposed her practicing. They pressured her all day. She had no choice but to go out by herself. Amazingly, although she walked a long way, she found the bookstore and bought a copy of Zhuan Falun. She is very happy and reads it when she has time. As it is not convenient to study in the dormitory, she goes downstairs to study. We advised her to go to a practice site to do exercises, and she agreed!
When we met again, she said that Dafa is amazing! It turned out that her two-year-old son is in China, and her mother is taking care of him. However, he didn’t talk much, even when he has reached the age when he should be speaking. She was very troubled and couldn’t stop worrying about this. But not long after she read the Fa, she had a dream in which her son spoke to her. Later, when she called home, her mother said, “Your son is very good at talking recently, and he has learned a lot.” She realized that this was her son's karma, and it was Master who helped him because she began practicing Falun Dafa. What Master said is true: When one person obtains the Fa, the whole family benefits!
It’s also a coincidence when I recalled the first time I met this girl was on Tuesday. She had a regular day off on Tuesday every week. She happened to be at home alone that day. We stood at her door and chatted for a long time. If we didn’t go on Tuesday, we might not have met her. Everything seems to have been arranged.
When looking for newsstands and selling newspapers, if a practitioner is driving and four or five of us search together, we usually find four newsstands, regardless of the length of time that we take. It was incredible. For a period of time, we found four newsstands each time. Practitioners said that we should breakthrough to reach five newsstands. That day, we really broke through and found five. But when we finished finding the fifth, we encountered some troubles. In the end, only five were found. Previously, every time a practitioner and I walk on foot to find the newsstands, no matter how long or short it was, the two of us always found two. The number of practitioners and the number of newsstands were actually consistent.
For a while, I sold newspapers with a practitioner. We usually stood together, but I found that we sold twice as many newspapers as I usually do when alone, and we spent half the time that I usually do when alone. This is also very incredible. I enlightened that those who support us are also those who are predestined and arranged by Master, and the old forces are also blocking us for various reasons. I understand that when practitioners cooperate together, it will be far more powerful than one person. There is a saying, “A single tree does not make a forest.”
In the process of looking for newsstands and selling newspapers, I experienced, “Cultivation depends on one’s own efforts, while the transformation of gong is done by one’s master.” (Lecture One, Zhuan Falun)
In fact, we just need to put in a little effort, move our feet and hands, and open our mouths. Master is really the one doing it. Master arranges predestined people to come to us.
My Child
For a long time it’s been difficult for me to maintain my xinxing in front of my child. My child affects my emotions. When he behaves well, I’m happy. When he is disobedient, I’m not able to maintain my xinxing. The other practitioners reminded me that I was too attached to him, but I didn’t realize it.
One time when I was on the phone with a practitioner, she mentioned that I was too attached to my child. At that moment, I suddenly realized that I was actually living in a small world. My child occupied my space. I lived in my child's world. I suddenly understood that if I can’t let go of the attachment to my child, I can’t get out of this small world, and won’t be able to do other things. I suddenly understood and told myself that I should let go of my concerns and worries about my child and do something more meaningful.
After putting down the phone, I meditated. For a long time, I’d been sleepy while meditating, but I didn’t know it. In the middle of the meditation, I tried to straighten up and keep my main consciousness clear. At that moment, my body suddenly trembled. A shape rushed out of my body. I only saw this shape with my eyes closed. Since then, I found that I made a great breakthrough, and stopped being sleepy when I meditate. I am more rational, and I can control my demon nature. Although I still get very angry sometimes, compared to the past, I can control my emotions. In the past, I was completely controlled by demonic nature and could not maintain my xinxing at all.
As I continue to cultivate and study more Fa, I am more and more aware of the preciousness of Dafa, and also understand the seriousness of cultivation. I hope that I can break through all kinds of notions and obstacles, assimilate to Dafa, do the three things well, fulfill my prehistoric vows, be diligent with fellow practitioners, and go home with Master.
Thank you, Master! Thank you, fellow practitioners!
(Presented at the 2022 Singapore Fa Conference)
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