(Minghui.org) Greetings, Master! Greetings, fellow practitioners!
I was born in the 1980s. My mother-in-law is a practitioner, and at the beginning of 2008, I began to practice with the intention of healing illness.
My Life of Constant Suffering
I was born in a village and had poor health as a child. Every flu season I got sick, and it took me a month to recover.
After I became an adult and began working, I spent almost all my income on treatments for my illnesses. I tried acupuncture, massage, herbal medicine, and anything else I could find, but none of them worked. Besides prolapse of the lumbar intervertebral disc, I also had pain in my thigh, cervical spondylosis, etc. I really suffered a lot.
Life seemed bleak and hopeless. I tried every new treatment and new drug that came along but was always disappointed.
In early 2008, my wife strongly suggested I practice Falun Gong with her mother. Actually, she had suggested it to me long before that, but I had been influenced by the Party's slander of the practice. Finally, when I really became desperate and there seemed to be no other alternative, I decided to try it. My mother-in-law explained the truth about Falun Gong to me and gave me the main book, Zhuan Falun. She said I might come across interference but that I had to persist in the practice, and whether Master would take care of me all depended on me.
I had a lot of interference. As soon as I started reading, I kept yawning. I was highly motivated to be cured, so I forced myself to finish reading the book within several days.
The first time I read it, it seemed that Zhuan Falun explained how to be a good person and was not at all how the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) made it out to be. But would I really be cured? I was not so sure.
My wife, who had begun practicing at that time, kept on encouraging me. She said, "So many people have been helped by practicing. You have tried a lot medicines, but did they cure you? Just practice with my mother." Encouraged by my wife and tortured by the illnesses, I continued practicing, but with a heart of pursuit.
Grateful to Master
My mother-in-law told me that, as a new practitioner, I should study the Fa more and do the exercises more. I did study the Fa, but I had no profound understandings, I just did it as though fulfilling a task.
But doing the exercises was difficult for me. Because of my attachment to comfort, I wouldn't get up when the alarm clock sounded. I just wanted to sleep. My wife pushed me to get up.
Doing the sitting meditation was a big test. My legs had always been stiff, and it was even hard for me to sit with one leg crossed, not to mention sitting in the double lotus position. But I remembered Master said,
"When it is difficult to endure, try to endure it. When it looks impossible and is said to be impossible, give it a try and see if it is possible." (Lecture Nine in Zhuan Falun)
I kept on practicing. From sitting with my legs crossed for half an hour to sitting for an hour, I gradually improved. In order to sit longer than an hour in the lotus position, I fastened my legs with cloth bandages and eventually passed this test.
As I studied further, I realized I should let go of my attachment to curing illnesses. When I was finally able to do this, miracles happened. Within only a few months, all of my illness symptoms went away. It was magic! I enlightened that Master had eliminated most of my karma and just left a small portion for me to endure.
I completely let go of my pursuit of having my illnesses cured and began to understand Dafa rationally. I told my parents and sister about all the changes I experienced, and they were all very happy. My mother and sister have all read Zhuan Falun, and my father likes watching the Fa-teaching videos. They are all trying to act in line with Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance now. Every time I bring home some paper currency with messages about Falun Dafa printed on them and ask them to spend them locally, they all do it gladly and fearlessly.
In fact, Master was already taking care of me before I obtained the Fa. One time when I was riding a bicycle after work, I was almost knocked down by a big van. I automatically avoided it by turning the handlebar. The van brushed past me, and my colleagues behind me were all scared. Now I understand that it was Master protecting me.
Upgrading and Catching up
I work in a different town and only have two months during the winter every year to study the Fa with local fellow practitioners. In the town where I work, I can't contact fellow practitioners and can't even guarantee time to study the Fa and do the exercises. But I know that as a Dafa disciple I must study the Fa and do the exercises and must be worthy of Master's merciful salvation.
My mother-in-law told me I can ask Master for help when I come across adversities, and if I have a righteous mind Master will help me. It's really true! When I work in that town, I often ask Master to help me to study and practice. Master always arranges for non-smoking and non-drinking colleagues who know the truth about Falun Gong to live in my dorm. If my thoughts are righteous I'm always assigned to projects with more income and more chances to validate the Fa. Even when occasionally the projects assigned to me are not so good, I can always put Fa-study and exercise first. I would sometimes rent an apartment on my own so I could do the three things well.
After constant Fa study, I understood the significant mission that Dafa disciples have. I completely quit drinking alcohol (which I was addicted to), stopped amusing myself in bars, and stopped taking items from my workplace that didn't belong to me, something that is commonly done by employees.
My colleagues witnessed how my character and physical condition improved and admired the power of Dafa. The colleagues I live with in the town where I work, all know the truth well and all respect me. Whenever I pick up Zhuan Falun to read or erect my palm to send forth righteous thoughts, they close the door and put on their headphones to work on their computers quietly. Some even help protect me when I go to hang up Falun Gong banners. They are all choosing the best futures for themselves.
During the first two years, encouraged by my mother-in-law, I did some things to validate the Fa. I distributed truth-clarification pamphlets, put up fliers and Shen Yun posters with my mother-in-law on snowy nights, and so on. I felt what we were doing was sacred. I also did face-to-face truth-clarification, but mainly limited to acquaintances. Because I did not have strong notions or fear at that time, the result was quite good: most of the people listened to me and agreed to quit. In the town where I work, I spent the bills with messages about Falun Gong written on them, put up signs, etc.
Later I purchased a phone for truth-clarification. That way I still could save people even when I was in other towns and unable to do other projects.
Letting Go of My Ego, Saving People through Phone Calls
As Fa-rectification progressed, I saw the gap between myself and fellow practitioners, I decided not to be satisfied with the current situation and to walk my own path in truth-clarification. Upon reading the sharing articles on Minghui about clarifying the truth directly over the phone, I was touched. I told myself, "I will also let go of my ego and be responsible for my cultivation practice and the salvation of sentient beings."
When I shared my idea with fellow practitioners, they all encouraged me: "If you have the heart to do this, Master will strengthen you. The first one you call will withdraw from the Party."
I prepared a truth-clarifying cell phone and repeatedly listened to the recordings in the phone, then drafted several versions of my own. I chose several numbers that I had dialed before. I had played truth-clarification recordings to those numbers and had good results.
Right after I got up the first day that I planned to do this, I felt nervous and depressed. Many illusions popped up in my mind: What kind of people would I meet? What strange questions would they ask? How should I react? I began to lose my courage.
I tried hard to deny it but still could not calm down. I then realized it was not me--they all belonged to the notions and my false ego, Master was eager to see me overcome it. I became determined to eliminate the interference of the old forces and decided to focus on Fa study first.
When I couldn't concentrate, I read:
"There really isn’t much time left. It could end at any time, and the next phase could begin at any time." ("Fa Teaching at the 2013 Greater New York Fa Conference (Questions and Answers)")
I was touched and repeatedly read this sentence. I knew Master was giving me a hint to seize the time and save more people.
When I sent forth righteous thoughts, I asked Master to help me to eliminate the notions and interference that got in the way of my explaining the facts using my cell phone.
I went to a quiet place outdoors. When I tried to dial the number my hand was even trembling. I strolled back and forth, my mind empty. After about 10 minutes, I asked myself, "Do you still want to practice cultivation?" I finally dialed the number. My voice even trembled. I didn't use the prepared draft at all, I just spoke with the person naturally. However, the result was unexpectedly good! It was a young man. He agreed to withdraw without asking many questions. After the call, I literally jumped for joy. I had done it! I succeeded with the first one I tried; merciful Master was encouraging me!
I became much more confident and dialed several more numbers. Some didn't answer, some hung up in the middle, but I was still very happy because I had successfully persuaded one person to withdraw the first time I tried. I enlightened that I should not assume how difficult it would be before I tried and should not attach too much importance to my ability, because "Cultivation depends on one’s own efforts, while the transformation of gong is done by one’s master." (Lecture One in Zhuan Falun)
After dinner, I was hindered by the attachment of comfort and ease and didn't want to go out. But then I read this in Fa-study:
"...maybe you produce something and then think you're all set, and you feel satisfied--'I did it.' That's no good. If a Dafa disciple saves just one person, does that do the job? No, it doesn't. You need to save many." ("Teaching the Fa at the Meeting on Writing Music")
I felt it was pointing to me. Then I went out to call more people.
This time a lady answered. She agreed with what I said but hesitated when I encouraged her to do quit the Party. I said, "You have understood the principle of retribution and the tyranny of the Chinese Communist Party. Now I have nothing to ask of you. What I hope for you is only the best future for yourself." She said, "All right then, I quit."
Through the experience of making phone calls, I concluded that studying the Fa well is so important: whenever I was hindered by different sentiments and attachments, it was always Dafa that enlightened me and helped me break through.
When I was lazy and didn't want to go out, I read these paragraphs when I studied the Fa:
"Every person's spirit is being hit upon, every person is genuinely cultivating himself, and every person is thinking about how to be responsible to his own existence! Why are some of you not able to do this?! Looking at you, Master is so worried!" ("Teaching and Explaining the Fa at the Metropolitan New York Fa Conference")
"A cultivator's goal is to go beyond the human world and achieve the Consummation of his being. When he is attached to getting worldly things or to self-interest he can't reach Consummation. When a cultivator cultivates in this world he is to get rid of all sorts of human attachments, and only then can he become a divine being. Otherwise, any attachment or any element in the human world that weighs on your mind becomes a lock that fastens you down and prevents you from leaving. That's why when you validate Dafa and save sentient beings you cultivate yourself at the same time." ("Teaching the Fa at the 2005 Manhattan International Fa Conference")
I was deeply moved by Master's words. Through Fa study, I am guided and encouraged by Master and feel more and more mature. I've eliminated more and more human notions and bad substances, and I've begun to feel the real sensation of cultivation practice.
Actually it is not hard to make phone calls and save people; the only obstacle is ourselves. Every time before I make phone calls, I always encourage myself: "Just do well what you should do, because you are a Dafa disciple." I have had many moving experiences.
One time I asked, "Have you heard that quitting the CCP brings blessings?" He said, "I've heard of it, but I haven't quit yet." Then I said, "140 million people in China are doing this, including high officials. Why are you hesitating?" He answered, "I am a CCP member. I know you are good people. I have two friends that are Falun Gong practitioners. They went to Beijing to raise awareness about Falun Gong and then disappeared." I said, "I've called you just to save you. Let me help you quit!" He agreed and thanked me. What a good person! People are waiting to be saved!
Another time, at the very beginning of our conversation, the person I called said he was a CCP member and that the CCP treated him well. I said, "You are a CCP member. That shows you must be successful. The CCP always lures successful people to join to make it look good." He was pleased to hear this. I continued, "As a Party member, you should understand what they are doing. You can't be a good person and remain a Party member. I am not asking you to quit publicly, you can just quit figuratively and invalidate the oath that you have made to devote your life to the CCP. That will keep you safe in disasters without losing your current benefits. Do you understand?" He answered with "Uh." I then quickly said, "Let me help you do it, okay?" He said, "Okay, thank you." One more life was saved.
During the first several days, I was able to save people even though each call didn't take long. I later call several people repeatedly, but none of them quit. Then I developed a human thought, thinking that there are always some who cannot be saved and I should not waste time on them anymore. Because of that unrighteous thought, the effect of my calls became worse, either nobody answered, or they hung up on me.
I realized there was something wrong with my xinxing. Then I read this:
"Let me endow you with two sentences: 'Without "nothing," it is a human feeling. If it is a human feeling, then it's not bei (compassion).'" ("Teaching the Fa at the 2004 Western U.S. Fa Conference")
After I identified my loophole, I continued to call and had better results. One person didn't agree to quit no matter what I said. Then I asked him, "I'm calling you on a phone and with a phone card I paid for with my own money and on my own time. Why am I doing this? I just want you to be saved." In the end, he agreed to quit.
I concluded that, when we call, we must have a peaceful and merciful heart; we must think of others. If someone is at work, we should make a note so that we can call later or ask fellow practitioners to call.
I used to be conceited about the script I wrote to make calls. When some people said they could not understand what I was saying, I didn't take it seriously. One day, I called several people, but some of them had no answer and some said they had no time.
This urged me to reflect upon myself again. I realized that when we call, we can't follow a fixed pattern. Instead, we should explain the truth according to the other party's education, background, age, etc. to make it easy for him or her to quit. We should tell him or her in an open and dignified manner that we are Dafa disciples.
I have gained so much through my recent experience of making truth-clarification calls: I have understood the importance of Fa study, I have experienced the wonderfulness of looking inward, and I have learned the significance of doing the three things. It feels so good to believe in Master and Dafa and act in line with the teachings of Master!
Let us study the Fa more and save more people at this historically precious moment!
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