(Clearwisdom.net)

Greetings, Master! Greetings, fellow practitioners!

Many Falun Gong practitioners in the US and around the world have been clarifying the truth to government officials. I would like to share some of my own experiences of how I have gradually overcome my resistance to and fear of contacting members of our government. Some of my reluctance had to do with having to mature in my cultivation, and some had to do with becoming more familiar with how the different levels of government operate. My contribution in this area is not much, but maybe sharing the process I went through can help other practitioners lose their fears.

When I obtained the Fa in the spring of 2005, it seemed to me that all my previous life experiences had prepared me for this--becoming a Dafa practitioner and safeguarding Dafa during this time of tribulation. I joined in the different activities and projects practitioners in San Diego use to clarify the truth: handing out flyers, participating in parades, writing for the Epoch Times, and giving speeches at events encouraging people to quit the Chinese Communist Party.

Giving these speeches out in public, I think, was a stepping stone in helping me later to contact VIPs. Actually, the entire process of group Fa study and all the different ways we clarify the truth have gradually helped me upgrade many skills and increase my confidence in a number of areas. As a child, and through most of my early adulthood, I was afraid to read out loud in front of a group. I somewhat overcame that later in life, but not completely. But after several months of group Fa study where we read together aloud, I realized that this fear had disappeared.

I think that this fear is linked to a strong attachment to self. It includes fear of making mistakes and losing face, worrying that others might think we're incompetent, that someone might laugh at us or scold us. It is about always wanting to look good and be liked. This attachment can make us avoid new and unfamiliar situations and prevent us from stepping forward to clarify the truth face to face.

Giving public speeches is very stressful, and most everyone is afraid of it. For practitioners it is a matter of cultivation and letting go of attachments to self. For me, after a while, giving public speeches at "Quitting the CCP" events seemed much like Fa study. I was just reading my speech with my fellow practitioners all standing around me. And the non-practitioners who listened didn't affect my emotions at all. In addition, writing the speeches was good practice for internalizing the issues and for contacting VIPs later on.

The majority of practitioners in San Diego are Chinese. They had contacted local government officials in the past but felt there was a continued need to do better and more, and they were looking to Western practitioners to take more of a lead, since we know the language, customs, and the political system better than they do.

For a long time I resisted getting involved in VIP work. I didn't feel in any way qualified. I had the excuse that I, too, am an immigrant from another country, and I didn't know much about politics or who my government representatives were. But it was actually my fear of the new and unknown situations and also my laziness--not wanting to study and learn more about government. Finally I decided to write letters to my Congress person and senators informing them about the mistreatment of Dafa practitioners and asking for their support. This was a lot like the speeches I was writing, so I felt I could do that. It was not like having to talk to a "Very Important Person" (VIP) on the phone or in person.

I was actually surprised when I received answers to each of my letters. I felt this was a good start, so I kept writing from time to time, and they kept sending me replies, generally six to eight weeks later. Pretty soon, however, I realized that these letters all sounded about the same, a bit like form letters, and I was not so pleased with the results anymore. Especially after the organ harvesting from living Falun Gong practitioners was revealed in March of 2006, we all felt a great urgency to make this crime widely public and get more tangible support from our elected government representatives.

Practitioners decided we should speak at city council meetings throughout San Diego county, where any citizen can sign up to give a three-to-five minute presentation on a topic they are concerned about. So we went in small groups, and many San Diego practitioners got involved. Those who had done this previously gave the speeches while other practitioners went along to learn how to do it, send forth righteous thoughts, distribute flyers and packages, take pictures, and write reports for Clearwisdom.

On the whole these presentations were well received and they raised my level of understanding of how the American political system works. It also gave me more confidence that I could communicate with "Very Important Persons."

At the same time I began to research the Internet for an easy way for all practitioners in San Diego county to find their own government representatives. Then we could contact our representatives in a more organized and effectively manner at a moment's notice. I discovered that our city government website has a link to the voter registration site, and from there it is easy to locate all of one's local, state, and federal officials by simply putting in one's home address or zip code. I found that doing this kind of research was actually interesting and a good learning experience. With every little bit of knowledge came a little more confidence and a lessening of fear.

In July 2007 I went to the Fa conference in Washington, DC. Several members of Congress and representatives from NGOs gave speeches in support of Falun Gong at a rally in front of the Capitol. It was extremely moving to hear their heartfelt support. Many people had tears in their eyes.

For several days practitioners went in groups to visit members of Congress and the Senate to clarify the truth to them. I, too, went along, and the experience was very positive. In every case we were very well received and listened to with respect. This was a turning point in my commitment to do VIP work. One Chinese practitioner commented afterwards that this would never be possible in China, where all government offices are closely guarded and one cannot just make an appointment to discuss one's concerns with a high level official or their staff.

After returning from Washington I made a decision to visit five of my VIPs on a weekly basis. Nearly every week since last July I have delivered the Epoch Times and other information to my Congresswoman, my state assembly member, my state senator, and my two US Senators. On my first visit I took a big package of truth clarification materials and clarified the truth to the office staff. I told them that I was a Falun Dafa practitioner and that I also wrote for the Epoch Times and introduced the Epoch Times to them.

I think that going every week with the paper is a really good thing as it builds a long-term relationship that is low pressure for both sides. Now I was giving them something instead of only asking them for something. My impression is that in the past when we were contacting VIPs, it was always to ask for support, such as a proclamation or a letter, and usually it would be in a rush; we needed it right away. We have been getting some feedback that VIPs don't appreciate being rushed.

From the responses I am getting it seems that my VIPs look forward to reading the Epoch Times each week. At the same time they have a chance to get to know a Falun Gong practitioner living in their district. I hope that I display to them the qualities of a Dafa practitioner: friendliness, dependability, kindness, patience, understanding, competence, etc.

I am also hoping that more and more I will be losing my attachments of fear of taking up important people's time and being worried that they might get impatient or irritated with me. I often have to remind myself, "How can I be afraid of everyday people? I am a cultivator of Dafa. I am here to help save them."

I don't feel I have actually done much VIP work. Quite a few other practitioners have also been delivering the Epoch Times to VIPs in their districts and have made some very good contacts. I think it is a good thing to get away from our computers and go out among the people and clarify the truth face to face. It has much more power than sending out letters or e-mails. If we are willing to let go of our attachments of fear, Master will certainly help make things happen.

During December, while practitioners all over the world were promoting NTDTV's Holiday Wonders and Chinese New Year Spectacular, the Chinese consulates in the US again tried to interfere by sending slanderous letters to government officials. Several such incidents happened in New York, Florida, and California, and we heard similar reports from countries in Europe as well. Practitioners are exposing these inappropriate acts by the CCP to the public, and more and more it is the VIPs themselves who are letting practitioners know when they receive nasty letters from the Chinese consulates.

In San Diego I found out from two VIPs that they had been getting such letters from the Chinese consulate in Los Angeles. I think getting this information had directly to do with my little bit of personal VIP contacts. I also feel that Master's guidance was involved.

One night in early January, several practitioners were handing out flyers at a downtown theater to promote the Spectacular in San Diego. The theater had only allowed us to hand out flyers in a certain location. That evening I suddenly felt I had to go to the parking structure elevator and hand out flyers there. I had never done this before, but I just felt I had to go there. So I went and handed out many flyers to people coming out of the elevators. A short time later a San Diego council woman walked by me. I quickly said a few words to her to remind her of our Spectacular show. She stopped, took the flyer, and told me she had gotten a consulate letter telling her not to attend the show. She asked if I wanted a copy of the letter.

The next day her office emailed me the letter, which I then made copies of and took to my VIPs' offices for comments and to ask if they, too, had gotten letters like this. Needless to say they all found it highly offensive but not surprising. The staff of my Congresswoman shared that they, too, had gotten such a letter, and also a letter last summer "advising" her not to attend Falun Dafa Day in San Diego. At another office I was told they would like to do something for Falun Dafa next time, but we should let them know further in advance.

When I visit my VIPs, I also deliver the Epoch Times to businesses and corporations in the same buildings. Consequently I have also made contact with a businessman in the Vietnamese community who supported us during the New Year Spectacular.

I feel that the simple act of showing up every week and delivering the Epoch Times has had some good results. It's safer to stay behind the computer and not deal with unknown, unpredictable circumstances that can unexpectedly challenge our xinxing. But many good things only happen when we clarify the truth face to face.

When writing this article I was worried about validating myself. Please point out anything inappropriate.

Thank you, Master! Thank you, fellow practitioners!