(Minghui.org) Three years ago, I joined the Rescue Team, which is part of the Global Telephone-Calling Team. It’s where Falun Dafa practitioners overseas work together to call people in China to tell them about Falun Dafa, the ongoing persecution and to encourage them to quit the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and its affiliated organizations. During this period of time, I have learned to do the three things better and treasure the time for cultivation. I would like to share my cultivation experiences with my fellow practitioners.
Assimilating into the Group Cultivation Environment
My husband and I have ample time to contribute to Dafa projects since we are well off financially. The phone team consists of many elderly practitioners who’ve cultivated very solidly. They are able to recite the Fa, spend a lot of time studying the Fa, and practice Falun Dafa’s standing exercises for an hour. They also clarify the truth very wisely and logically. All this motivated me to keep up with the pace of Fa-rectification.
“Compare in studying, compare in cultivating” (“Solid Cultivation,” Hong Yin) became our cultivation environment. We modified our calling schedule to best fit the time difference in China. Practicing the exercises, studying the Fa and sending forth righteous thoughts are a must for practitioners if they want to do the three things well. I lived to my fullest every day. In addition to participating in local Dafa activities and Fa study groups, I would follow the schedule of the Global Telephone-Calling Team. My mind has become clearer as I hold Dafa closer to my heart. I know that only by genuinely cultivating can one accomplish the holy mission of saving sentient beings, and live up to Master’s compassionate salvation.
Not Giving Up While Facing Tribulations
I initially experienced many kinds of interference when I called the judicial system in China, such as police departments, Procuratorates, and courts. The difficulties I faced were not external interference, but rather xinxing tests for me. The most challenging part was whether I could persist in the Global Rescue Team. The people working in the judicial system are severely controlled by the old forces since they actively participated in the persecution of Falun Dafa practitioners. Therefore, clarifying the truth to them is critical in suppressing the evil. Not only will they learn the facts about Dafa, the people in the judicial system would also alleviate practitioners’ suffering.
At one point, I felt that I was unable to continue with the project because my phone call pick up rates were low and the people working in the judicial system were so deeply brainwashed by the evil; no one wanted to listen to what I had to say. I felt stressed and was under a lot of pressure.
Master said,
“Wherever there’s a problem, that is where you need to clarify the truth and save people. Don’t take a detour when you run into difficulties.” (“Fa Teaching Given at the 2002 Conference in Washington, D.C.,” Collected Teachings Given Around the World Volume II)
I reflected on myself and realized that I’d shy away from problems instead of overcoming them. Tribulations will occur regardless of which Dafa project we participate in. Falun Dafa practitioners in China are risking their lives to save sentient beings. How can I, a practitioner living comfortably overseas, have any reason not to do well? Digging deeper, I realized that I was being selfish and was unable to let go of my ego. I did not prioritize saving sentient beings.
I started to strengthen my righteous thoughts after finding the root of my problem. I came to believe that I would be able to overcome any tribulation if I keep Master and Dafa in my heart! I needed to put more effort into cultivating my xinxing and having compassion for others. After that realization, I no longer held human notions while making phone calls. When I maintained a heart of compassion, I no longer felt stressed out. People became more receptive and listened to what I had to say for longer periods of time. My heart was not moved when I encountered those who cursed and swore at me, as I held a heart of altruism and carried the hope of bringing the truth to sentient beings.
Each month, I’d encounter several people who learned the truth about Falun Dafa and agreed to withdraw from the CCP and its affiliated organizations. Three of such people left a deep impression on me.
The first person was a police chief. I learned from other practitioners that he cursed a lot. I used my spare time to call him several times from the beginning of 2020 until the end of 2021. At first, he refused to believe the truth about Falun Dafa but eventually accepted it; he finally realized that practitioners truly cared about his well-being.
The second person was a director at a domestic security office. He remained silent when I first called him. After sensing my sincerity, we chatted for over ten minutes and I answered many of his questions. I told him the facts about Falun Dafa and the reasons for the CCP’s persecution. We also discussed the staged self-immolation on Tiananmen Square and the true, evil nature of the CCP. I continued by talking about how people carrying out the persecution are already being sanctioned. I told him to understand how dire the situation he was in and that he could atone for his sins by calling the World Organization to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong. I gave him a contact number and he took it down attentively. I also helped him to withdraw from the CCP and its affiliated organizations and told him to remember to recite the nine special words: “Falun Dafa is good, Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance is good.”
The last person was a retired district court judge that I called for two days. At first he didn’t want to learn the truth about Falun Dafa. After chatting with him more, he learned the truth about Dafa and the dire straights he’d be in if he continued being a CCP member. He did not want to be a scapegoat for the CCP and asked for a contact number for the World Organization to Investigate the Persecution of Falun Gong. He withdrew from the CCP and its affiliated organizations. I also told him about the nine special words.
Genuine Cultivation
I felt that clarifying the truth to sentient beings was a good way to upgrade my xinxing. I would look inward as soon as I encountered a difficult situation. I’d ask myself, “Which attachment is this directed at?” I’d eliminate the attachment as soon as I found it.
I was yelled and cursed at for over ten minutes one time, but my heart was not moved. I silently sent righteous thoughts to eliminate the evil factors and to bring forth the man’s compassionate side. He no longer cursed at me and was saved by accepting the facts about Falun Dafa. Some sentient beings would be saved within a matter of minutes, though they often cursed me in the beginning. Making these phone calls to China was to a way eliminate my attachments to fear, saving face, the competitive mentality, looking down on others, zealotry, and jealousy. Meanwhile, it also brought out my compassionate side.
My neighbor started to build a four-story building last year. For almost half the year, I always heard construction noises. I started to harbor resentment and complained, “This is too noisy! How am I supposed to make phone calls to China?” I got upset and was unable to focus well when I made phone calls. My husband would come out of his room and complain about the noise as well. His complaints made me reflect on my own resentment. I pointed out his resentment and told him that we needed to get rid of it. I also asked for Master’s help and hoped that sentient beings wouldn’t be affected when I called them up. Miraculously, neither my husband nor I were affected by the construction noise and made our usual phone calls. Whenever my resentment surfaces, I remind myself to eliminate it and not be interfered with by the noise. Amazingly, the construction noise would usually occur whenever I finished the phone calls.
My attachment of relying on others also surfaced while I made phone calls. Since there weren’t as many practitioners calling on the platform Saturday and Sunday mornings, I began to develop notions on relying on other practitioners because I felt lonely. However, when I thought about it again, I corrected this notion. Relying on other practitioners has hindered my righteous thoughts. Clarifying the truth is every Dafa disciple’s mission. I am not being responsible to sentient beings in my world when I selectively do things to my liking. Numerous practitioners are being persecuted in China and countless sentient beings in China are blinded from the truth. Clarifying the truth is something we cannot delay. I needed to relinquish my attachment of comfort and relying on others. All my negative thoughts disappeared once I had righteous thoughts. I became even more determined to do what is right. Since then, I have never wavered in making phone calls to China. I often encounter sentient beings who are willing to listen to the facts about Dafa. I have also experienced Master’s protection and encouragement.
I was supposed to memorize the Fa with another practitioner. Due to the time difference, I decided to memorize the Fa by myself. I set an hour after breakfast to memorize the Fa, and then I would make phone calls for three hours. I overcame my attachment to laziness, being afraid of hardships and sleepiness. Memorizing the Fa went smoothly when I put my full, undivided attention into the Fa. It took me about three months to memorize Zhuan Falun, the main text of Falun Dafa. I am currently on my ninth round of memorizing Zhuan Falun. I am grateful to Master for bestowing such a good opportunity and environment to cultivate myself and save sentient beings.
Treasuring Time
Master said,
“How could it be okay to not do that when so many people are waiting to be saved?! Even I am helping you do that! Saving non-practitioners is supposed to be your responsibility. [The way it’s supposed to be is that] I save you, and you save them. Now I am even helping you do it, so if you don’t do it, are you a Dafa disciple?” (“Fa Teaching at the 2019 New York Fa Conference,” Collected Fa Teachings, Vol. XV)
Making use of our time to save sentient beings is crucial. I deeply understand how much Master treasures sentient beings and hopes that Dafa disciples can save more people. I realized I needed to spend more time to save sentient beings. In addition to making phone calls to the judicial system in China, I began calling Chinese people and helped them withdraw from the CCP and its affiliated organizations. I increased my time in making phone calls by calling for three hours in the morning and two hours in the afternoon. In addition to doing the three things, I followed the principles of keeping things simple in my life. Later on, I realized that no matter what one does, doing it well with one’s heart is the best way to go about it.
I was able to experience Master’s compassion and encouragement by saving every predestined sentient being. If one of my phone calls was made to a practitioner in China, we’d encourage each other to do well in our cultivation. Those in the judicial system who learned the truth about Dafa would send their greetings to Master. I encountered a person who attended the same school as Master and he wanted me to send his greetings to Master. I felt Master’s boundless and merciful compassion. It motivated me to do better on the path of saving sentient beings and to cultivate myself diligently in becoming a genuine Dafa disciple. I am grateful for the Global Telephone-Calling Team and fellow practitioners for this cultivation environment.
The above is my current level of understanding. Please kindly point out anything not aligned with the Fa.
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Category: Improving Oneself
