(Clearwisdom.net) On May 8, Falun Gong practitioners from Dallas, Texas held activities at Russell Creek Park in City of Plano to celebrate the 12^th World Falun Dafa Day and Master Li Hongzhi's 60^th birthday.

Group exercises

Practitioners hung up banners reading “World Falun Dafa Day,” “Falun Dafa,” and “Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance.”

When the practitioners held group exercises, the peaceful music and gentle movements attracted the attention of many people in the park. An elderly Indian lady was having a picnic with her family in the park. She was very interested in learning the exercises. She and one of her family members talked to the practitioners, asked for detailed contact information, and said that they would join the group exercises next week in the park.

Several practitioners shared their experiences of how they started practicing.

Ms. Liang, a Chinese teacher from Taiwan, still remembers clearly how she first heard about Falun Gong. “It was in 1996. I saw on the news that the founder of Falun Gong, Master Li Hongzhi, would come to Houston to give a lecture. I wanted to go very much, but my child was too young, and I could not drive that far to Houston by myself. So, I did not make it. But my desire to learn Falun Gong was very strong. I asked Master Li Hongzhi for help in my heart. Amazingly, I had another chance that same year. Practitioners in Dallas held a workshop in which I participated. I started cultivation then.”

Ms. Liang said, “I knew Zhuan Falun was not an ordinary book as soon as I got it. I finished the book overnight without stopping. After finishing it, it was bright in my whole brain. I cannot describe my feeling. I accepted everything that Master Li said in the book. I know that the book will be with me for the rest of my life.”

Ms. Liang and her sons

“When I first started practicing, my kids were only 2 and 3 years old. However, I took them to the exercise site. The seeds of cultivation were rooted in their hearts when they were very young. Now they are in high school. They have gone through a lot of tests on their journey of cultivation. In modern society, there is a lot of pollution. They have passed the tests. Last week, my older son got a full scholarship from a state university. He was really grateful for Master Li's guidance.”

Duc, a graph designer, found out about Falun Gong on the Internet last May. He realized that this was what he had been looking for. Very excited, he came to the local Falun Gong workshop and joined the group exercises. He felt very lucky that he could be a Falun Gong cultivator. “I am very grateful,” he said.

Duc doing the exercises.

Duc said that he reads Zhuan Falun and listens to Master Li's lecture audio recording everyday. “I am very glad to be here today. Everybody is so calm. This is the most beautiful and pure place,” he said.

Many people were drawn to the peaceful activities. Some came to talk to practitioners. After learning about the basics of Falun Gong, an Indian gentleman asked his son and daughter-in-law to talk to practitioners, too. They asked for Falun Gong materials.

Practitioners wish Master Li a Happy Birthday.

At the end of the activities, practitioners wished Master Li a Happy Birthday.