(Minghui.org) We left China for Geneva in May 1999 when my husband got a job with the United Nations. We moved to New York in May 2015 because my husband was transferred. I actually considered myself a Dafa practitioner after this move.
Becoming a Practitioner
My parents are Falun Gong (also known as Falun Dafa) practitioners, so I knew about Dafa and had read some of the books, including Zhuan Falun, before the persecution began in 1999. Zhuan Falun, the main book of Falun Gong, is a precious book. It teaches people to be good.
The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) began to persecute Dafa practitioners in 1999. I felt very bad when I read articles on the Minghui website about the persecution. I was so sad when practitioner Ding Yan was killed for not giving up her belief.
Master said,
“It’s worth pausing to consider what it means to be learning a practice that truly takes you to 'greater spiritual heights'. It means deliverance from this world, for you will be engaging in genuine spiritual practice, and not just something meant for health or wellness.” (Truly Taking You to Greater Spiritual Heights, The First Talk, Zhuan Falun 2018)
This finally made me realize what Falun Dafa is and why so many practitioners have risked their lives to stand up for it. I felt I was very lucky at that time and decided to start to practice it.
My husband was totally convinced by the derogatory CCP propaganda that claimed Dafa was not good and was adamantly opposed to my practicing it. Because of my attachment of sentimentality, I was not firm in my cultivation and only studied the Fa intermittently. I was cultivating on-and-off before I moved to New York. Luckily, because of Master Li's (the founder of Falun Gong) compassion and my mother's timely reminders, I never stopped.
Family Conflicts
New York is a great place to cultivate. I realized that I had to improve from how I'd practiced in the past and go out to tell people the facts about Falun Gong. That made my husband very angry. He scolded me, hit me, and destroyed my Dafa materials. He even threatened to divorce me.
Our son was diagnosed with a social phobia at the age of four. Everybody thought he was “abnormal.” He attended special programs in elementary and middle school. My husband blamed my belief in Dafa for our son's condition. My hopes for love and a happy family were dashed one by one.
The conflicts between us got worse and worse. His unreasonable behavior got so bad that I even had to call the police for protection. Although his resentment weakened a bit after the police call, our relationship was still as cold as ice.
I tried to not answer back when he yelled at me, but my heart was filled with resentment and the desire to fight back, especially when he influenced the children and encouraged them to ridicule Dafa, saying it wasn't logical. Thinking that I was not cultivating diligently and had failed to eliminate the attachment of resentment, I was so upset that all I could do was cry.
Removing the Attachment to Sentimentality
Through studying the teachings, I understood that I had to let go of sentiment, be truly kind to my husband, and remove my attachments to jealousy and wanting to fight. I learned to cultivate honorably, look inward, and pay attention to my thoughts and actions. I slowly corrected myself based on the teachings and, in the process, realized the power of sending righteous thoughts that eliminated the evil interfering with my husband.
Gradually, I could let go of the sentiment and attended the group Fa-study once every two weeks. When there was a Dafa activity, I told my husband we were going to oppose the persecution of good people by the CCP. If I had to leave home for a few days, he no longer argued with me as before and agreed to take care of the children.
Clarifying the Truth at the Empire State Building
My cultivation level improved greatly just in three months. I first decided to tell people the facts about Falun Gong in April 2016. While it generally takes only three or four minutes to walk from the subway station to the Empire State Building, I felt it was a long way at that time. I was afraid that my legs wouldn't carry me. I sat in the subway station and watched the trains passing by. I asked Master for strength and recited Hong Yin and On Dafa.
With Master's encouragement, I took the first step. Once there, my righteous thought to awaken people drove any stray thoughts out of my mind. There were many Chinese tourists. I helped almost ten of them quit the CCP every day. But as time went by, my human notions began to grow and things didn't go well. I was vexed and started to look inward to improve my xinxing.
The thought to save people comes from the Fa. Once my xinxing improved, the field around me changed and the outcome was good.
One day, I saw two fellow practitioners chatting when there were no Chinese tourists around. I was not pleased and looked down on them, thinking that we were there to clarify the facts and not to chat. Just then, three Chinese walked toward me. Before I could stretch out my arm with a pamphlet, one of them impatiently waved me away.
Thinking that they would not be saved if they did not hear the truth, I looked inward for any shortcomings and realized that my displeasure with my fellow practitioners was a human notion. I immediately corrected my mentality and then approached to the three tourists again. Surprisingly, one of them quickly took the flyers. At that moment, I really felt the power of looking inward.
Saving the Predestinated People Master Sends to Me
The Fa-rectification is advancing at a rapid pace. Master will send predestinated people to us as long as we are wholeheartedly ready.
I found a job at the United Nations in September 2016. Encouraged by fellow practitioners, I clarified the truth in front of the gate to the United Nations buildings during my lunch break. At first, I was afraid of being ridiculed by my colleagues and worried that my husband might give me a hard time when he saw me. But I thought this is a matter of belief and I would do it with a pure heart. I overcame the hurdle and, slowly, more people accepted the flyers. For those who declined, I still politely thanked them.
One day, I tried to hand out the newspaper that reported on the CCP harvesting organs from living practitioners. After a long while, a Western woman took the newspaper and said, “I will accept it this time, thank you.” Her words greatly encouraged me. I enlightened that people will change their mentality as long as we clarify the truth persistently.
In the winter of 2017, a major snowstorm was forecast for the city, so the United Nations decided to shut down the office for the day. I did not get the notice in time and went to work. As usual, I went to the gate to the main building on my lunch hour, hoping to meet some Chinese tourists.
Sure enough, I saw three Chinese walking on the other side of the street. I went over to them and told them the facts about Falun Gong. I also gave them a pamphlet. All three of them renounced the CCP. It was a good thing I went to work that day because the predestinated people were already waiting for me.
One of my colleagues, whose office was across from mine, was Chinese. One lunch break when I was handing out Dafa flyers on the sidewalk, he came over to praise me. I thanked him and asked if he had heard about the movement to “quit the CCP” in China. He said he did not believe anything the CCP said. After I told him the facts about Falun Gong, he seemed eager to quit the CCP and thanked me for the information. I was moved that Master arranged for me to help save this predestinated person.
One rainy day, I went out to clarify the truth as usual not far from the United Nations buildings. Not too many people were out because of the rain. I stood under my umbrella for quite some time. Finally, I saw the assistant secretary of the UN Personnel Department walking by. I handed her an English flyer that she seemed very happy to take. I appreciated Master again. However high a person's rank, Master gives every person the opportunity to understand the truth.
Studying the Fa Diligently
Studying the Fa diligently is fundamental to successfully clarifying the truth and saving sentient beings. If my cultivation was off, trifling things would litter my mind and I would have strong human notions and weak righteous thoughts. When I handed out flyers in this condition, almost nobody cared to listen to me.
When I studied the Fa diligently, even for a few minutes, and restrained my human notions before I went out, my righteous thoughts would remain strong and I would be able to clarify the truth more successfully.
At first, I was so thrilled to tell people the facts about Falun Gong. A fellow practitioner encouraged me and said that it is still a truth-clarification even if I stood quietly at the gate to the United Nations buildings. I always remember this good advice.
On one occasion, a busload of Chinese tourists visited the United Nations. Although they did not look hostile, they had been deceived by the CCP and were confused. They said to me, “You look so young. You should find a real job instead of making money like this.” I showed them my office pass and told them that I worked for the United Nations. They were surprised but still frightened to take the flyers I tried to hand out. One asked me to tear off the section with the address of the Minghui websites.
I feel sorry for the deluded Chinese people who have to live the dreadful lies of the CCP every day. I admire those fellow practitioners in China who risk their lives to spread the truth. I am firm about the importance of clarifying the truth, because only Dafa can help clear up the confusion and save people.
Participating in the Global Telephone Rescue Platform
I have participated in the global telephone rescue platform group to tell the people the facts since July 2018. Initially, I was afraid to call. Now, I can call and talk calmly to the security and law enforcement officers in China without fear. This is the almighty power of Dafa.
I felt helpless when, at first, my calls went unanswered again and again. I then cultivated more diligently and looked inward to remove attachments. Because of the change in my thoughts, more and more people began to answer my calls. Some even listened to me for as long as 12 minutes.
Not long after I joined the platform, I recited the Fa with this group for 30 minutes every morning. Although it was not long (because of the children's school schedule), I soon realized that my righteous thoughts were stronger and the interference got less and less.
This platform is a good environment for cultivation. Everyone has strong righteous thoughts. This encourages me and helps me see the gaps between myself and my fellow practitioners.
Thank you, great and merciful Master!
