(Minghui.org) Greetings esteemed Master and fellow practitioners.
It has been nine years since I came to the United States, and I worked for eight years in media sales. I experienced a lot and always felt that Master was by my side. From knowing nothing about American society to establishing broad social connections through sales and client interactions, and making good friends in the Chinese community through community activities, I always know that Master is looking after me.
Master taught us,
“Dafa disciples are the sole hope of salvation for the beings in each region and each nation.” (“My Thanks to Sentient Beings Who Have Sent Greetings,” The Essentials of Diligent Progress III)
As a salesperson, I have the opportunity to reach out to people from various industries through media platforms. This is the path Master gave me to save people, and I cherish his compassionate arrangements.
A customer in San Francisco’s Chinatown was initially reluctant to place an ad with us. I was not affected by her attitude. I maintained the same enthusiasm and patience towards everyone. I discussed each product promotion in detail and kept writing advertisements until the potential clients were satisfied. When the contract expired, I presented them with a new contract, and they agreed without hesitation.
This customer advertised with us for three years until she was diagnosed with late-stage cancer. Even though our contract ended, I regularly visited her store. I told her about Falun Dafa and showed her the exercises. She was told she only had six months to live. Three years later she is still alive. Whenever she lost confidence due to the pain, I encouraged her. I used Falun Dafa's principles, Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance, and what I was enlightened to, to help her.
Her mental state and physical condition improved over time, and she was able to work in the store. She attributed her improvements to me, but I told her it was Dafa and Master. She agreed and said, “Yes, it’s true!”
In San Francisco’s Chinese community, many people have been misled by pro-communist media and had misconceptions about Dafa and practitioners. Our Cantonese radio program, despite having limited airtime, acts like a clear spring that purifies people’s minds, spreading the voice of truth and promoting traditional values. As a salesperson, I listen to Master’s words, wish to open up this market, and help save the people in this region.
Our media sales team experienced significant challenges during the pandemic. Some sales practitioners switched to other positions or went to work for sister media outlets. One salesperson in the team who developed the mainstream market left the Bay Area due to illness karma in 2022. When I contacted Western clients, I collaborated with this practitioner. She studied and worked in the UK for 19 years and was proficient in English. She was the main speaker during client meetings, and I handled scheduling and proposals. After she left in March last year, I felt unsettled. As the sales team leader, I knew that expanding into the mainstream market was essential. However, there was no one I could rely on in the team. Although I understood from the Fa principles that Master wanted me to eliminate my dependence, I still lacked confidence.
During this year’s Shen Yun performance, there was a program that deeply moved me. Zhao Yun, also known as Zhao Zilong, rescued the young lord in the midst of a million enemy troops while charging through enemy lines riding on his horse, holding a spear. As I watched the performance, tears streamed down my face. I knew Master was giving me hints. To save people, not only did I need righteous thoughts and strong determination, but I also needed exceptional abilities. So despite my busy work schedule I started learning English, and listened to English language programs. When I heard unfamiliar words I wrote them down and looked them up. I gradually became fluent in English.
One day while reading Zhuan Falun, the main book of Falun Dafa, I read what Master said,
“...the master then uses his powers to unblock the part of the secondary soul’s memory that has been sealed off. This allows the soul to recall the past and recognize the master.” (The Eighth Talk, Zhuan Falun)
My eyes lingered on this sentence for a long time, and I also silently asked Master to bless me. I have a mission to save people and I asked Master to open up my wisdom. I want to quickly master English and contact the mainstream market.
With this strong wish, my English proficiency noticeably improved. This April I successfully signed a contract with a large group that previously cooperated with us. Due to the pandemic, their Chinese sales team in San Francisco disbanded, and the market promotion was handled by the headquarters’ Western team.
Influenced by the misunderstanding from some Chinese employees at their headquarters, they were unwilling to advertise with us again. I clarified the truth to their Western market manager, and also provided examples of our previous pleasant cooperation with their San Francisco Chinese team and the successful cases we brought them. After a two-hour online meeting, she decided to continue advertising with us. The one-month promotional fee they gave us was more than $12,000, over three times the previous amount.
In May, I collaborated with another practitioner and signed a deal with a Japanese car dealership, which is also a mainstream Western client. As I continuously read the Fa, my heart is increasingly steadfast, and the feelings of dependence and fear diminish due to constant Fa study and cultivating myself. Although there is still room for improvement in my business skills, I am no longer as anxious and fearful as I used to be, thanks to Master’s empowerment and care.
I feel greatly honored to join Ganjing World’s sales team, but I was also busier than ever. Ganjing World is developing rapidly, and there’s much to learn. Not only do we need to improve our business skills, but we also need to make breakthroughs in our cultivation. I’m fully aware that I still have some attachments that I haven't removed.
During my eight years of working in media sales, I developed a comfort zone because I had a relatively stable group of clients. I was in a state of inertia. However, with Master building the platform of Ganjing World, everything is new. There’s much to be done from scratch, exploring and attempting new things, and seeking larger sales clients. It feels like I'm starting from the beginning, and I see my deeply concealed complacency. Even now, I desire comfort. I keep reminding myself to let go of this attachment to comfort and keep breaking through in order to move forward.
When I first joined the Ganjing World’s sales team, I talked to a few potential clients, but they showed little interest. I felt anxious, especially when I saw other practitioners consistently getting deals.
Master said,
“Validating the Fa is cultivation, and what you remove in the cultivation process is none other than the attachment to self; you can’t, instead, go and exacerbate the problem of validating oneself, even if you do it unwittingly.” (“Fa Teaching Given at the Meeting with Asia-Pacific Practitioners” in Collected Teachings Given Around the World Volume VI)
I realized that my mindset was the problem. My intention to sign deals was impure—it wasn’t about saving people and supporting Ganjing World’s platform, but rather about proving that I was not inferior to other practitioners.
After realizing this, when I met another client with a fellow practitioner, things went smoothly, and we signed a contract. The other practitioner said, “I didn’t expect this client to agree so smoothly. He said he needed to discuss it with his father before deciding.”
Looking back at my 26-year long cultivation journey, from being a cancer patient to becoming a practitioner assisting Master in saving people, from facing the cruel environment for Dafa disciples in China to participating in overseas media and Ganjing World to save people, I have always been guided and blessed by Master’s compassion.
I will listen to Master, walk my cultivation path correctly, fulfill my mission of saving sentient beings, and return home with Master!
(Presented at the 2023 San Francisco Falun Dafa Cultivation Experience Sharing Conference)