(Minghui.org) I work as a waitress in a high end chain restaurant, and I always use every opportunity to tell my coworkers and customers the facts about Falun Gong. They became very supportive after knowing the truth. Below are several stories that I would like to share.
According to restaurant policy, only two days off are allowed per month for each employee. In addition to the everyday work, I have to coordinate some projects for local practitioners, so I'm very busy. I felt bad because I had to take days off from work every now and then. Fellow practitioners suggested I resign if doing both was too stressful for me.
I brought this up to the manager, saying I wanted to quit due to many pressing obligations. She agreed to report my situation to upper management, but did not approve my request. She said it was difficult to find good employees like me. She said she would make an exception for me, “You are allowed unlimited days off, but no resignation.”
It was hard to refuse her kindness and I thus continued working there. She did as she promised and allowed me extra days off. I once had to take an entire month off. She did not complain and even called me to check if I needed more time.
Even when the communist Party restricted funds for luxurious dining earlier this year, this restaurant still had good business while many others had few customers. I felt it might be related to management's positive attitude towards practitioners.
Once when I was taking a break after serving lunch, somebody patted me on the shoulder. I turned around and saw an elderly lady. I smiled at her and greeted her. She was very happy and said, “Today is my birthday and I chose here to celebrate because of you. I still remember you did a nice job when we ate here last time. We came here again because you work here. I also went to see the manager today and said good things about you.” I thanked her and said, “You are so nice. Do you still remember what we talked about last time?” She nodded, “Of course” and whispered to me, “I know the communist Party is bad. If you need help, just let me know.”
It is always touching to see people support practitioners after they understand the truth. There were quite a few examples like this.
Some customers are not familiar with the menu and they may ask the waitress to choose for them. Probably due to the wisdom that came from cultivation, even if I just make a recommendation without thinking, customers always like it. For example, for middle-aged people, traditional egg drop soup goes well with rice, while seaweed soup is better for young people. Another example is braised eggplant for the elderly and sweet dishes for children. Customers usually like the dishes I order for them.
When other waitresses did this, however, customers often complained about the selection for this or that reason. Some waitresses were frustrated and asked me for help. To me, there is no secret to ordering dishes. As long as our minds are righteous and we are only choosing what's best for our customers, how could they have negative opinions of us? Because we are considerate of their needs, they really want to hear what we say. Sometimes the customers paid little attention to eating because they were so attentively listening to my truth-clarification. For example, when government officials come to eat using public funds, dining is the last topic they want to touch. I often said to them, “There are many things that are more important than eating and drinking. For example, people need to have a righteous mind. This will not only benefit others, but is also good for oneself. But there are so many selfish people who hurt both society and themselves. I know one example of this related to Falun Gong.” When I continued talking, everyone was interested in it.
Local practitioners have put a lot of effort into truth-clarification using phone messages and text messages. When one of my coworkers visited his uncle, a city government officer, he happened to receive a truth-clarification text message and complained, “Those Falun Gong practitioners are really crazy.” My coworker said, “Uncle, please stop saying that. I know Falun Gong is good because I have coworker who practices it. She's very nice to others and always tell us how to be better people. Everyone likes her.” Her uncle immediately changed his attitude and said, “That is right. If Falun Gong wasn't good, she would have stopped practicing by now. It seems the persecution made them reach out to inform to others. All these troubles are the former communist leader's fault.”
When the coworker met me later, she asked, “Isn't this what you call 'truth-clarification'? It seems I have learned how to do it.”
I always think people around us have great predestined relationships with us. If we do not tell them the facts and help them know the truth, I feel I have not fulfilled my responsibility.
One coworker goes to church and she refused to listen to me when I talked about Falun Gong. She said, “I have my belief and all the rest are fake.” I told her even the Bible mentioned a messiah would come to save people at the end of time, plus the morality in contemporary is really corrupt. But she still did not listen.
After we talked that day, she broke her arm while riding her bike home. I felt bad and apologized when she returned to work. I told her my feeling and said she suffered the accident because I had not clarified the truth clearly to her. Surprised by my words, she looked at me for a long time and said, “You have such a sincere heart, I believe whatever you say.”
After I worked at the restaurant for a long time, almost all my coworkers learned the exercises from me and many of them started to practice. They treat me very well. Whenever other practitioners come to visit me, my coworkers step aside allowing us to talk. They said we are fortunate to be practitioners.
I once asked to work on the first floor. Because most early customers choose the first floor, I'm able to finish and leave a little early. The manager said many waitresses on the second floor were new and she hoped I would show them how to do things. I insisted on going back to the first floor and the manager said she needed more time before making a decision. I thought about it and asked myself, “How can a practitioner be picky over their work assignment? What if this was Teacher's arrangement?” I went to the manager again and told her I would stay on the second floor as she asked. She said, “That is great. You can show the newcomers on the second floor how to do things. Plus, you haven't had a chance to clarify the truth to them yet...”
Then the manager asked why I got along so well with the other waitresses, because everyone seemed willing to listen to me and said good things about me. I told her, “There is no magic here, and the only thing I know is Falun Gong. My teacher taught us to be considerate of others and I try to do that. When I finish my own work, I help the others. I don't do this so they'll have a good opinion of me. I'm just trying to help so our work will go more smoothly. After this happened many times, they naturally came to help me when I was busy. In fact, I have not done well enough as a practitioner. You see, when you asked me to stay on the second floor, I was only thinking about myself and requested the first floor. I'm sorry for not thinking of what would be easier for you.” She was moved by my words and said, “From you, I can tell Falun Gong is indeed good. If you know other practitioners who need to find restaurant jobs, just bring them in and we will hire them.”
To improve quality, the parent company recently started regular training and qualification exams for its employees. Because of my limited education, I did well in the training, but was afraid of the exam. I told the manager about my concerns and she assured me, “Please do not worry. You are the best waitress in the restaurant and I will report your situation to the parent company.” Several days later she told me, “Your special case has been approved and there will be no exams for you anymore. You are the only exception in the entire company, because you are a five-star waitress.”