(Clearwisdom.net) I am seventeen years old and this is my second year in high school. I usually get home from school around six o'clock in the afternoon. I do my homework and the Falun Gong exercises before going to bed at 9:30 and getting up to study the Fa at 3:00 a.m. But, this December there was a joint examination and our school started preparing for it beginning in the middle of November. So the school day was over at seven instead of six, and I lost an hour. Later, we had a model examination in our school and we were told that if we did well, we would be exempted from doing further preparatory work. I was not a top student in school and I did not want to do the preparation. I asked Teacher for help so that I could return home early (I was looking for a more comfortable life). Then, all of a sudden, I was not required to do any more preparation and could return home at 5:30. I am grateful to Teacher for giving me more time.
These past few days a classmate had been showing his affection for me and bringing me gifts. I was emotionally affected and was not as diligent in Fa study as I was in the past. I realized that this was a test for me and I began copying out the book Hong Yin III. These lyrics told me that Dafa disciples have a mission, which is to save sentient beings. Tears flowed down my face as I was copying, and I understood the importance of saving sentient beings.
One day, one of my classmates, who I thought didn't believe in divine beings, brought a small jade Buddha with her. I asked her whether she believed in Buddha and she said yes. Her mother encouraged her to do so. Naturally, we began to discuss the topics of atheism, the Cultural Revolution, the Tiananmen Square massacre, and the persecution of Falun Gong. She listened to me quietly and at the end agreed to withdraw from the Communist Party and its affiliated organizations. I recalled that when I first talked to her about Dafa, she argued with me about everything I said. At that time I developed the notion that young students were brainwashed and difficult to save. Most adults knew that the communist principles were bad and I felt that they were easier to save. Now I understand that holding on to a preconceived notion is a hindrance to saving sentient beings. By not holding on to any notion other than wanting to save people, we can reach the real self of the person.
A few days ago, my aunt fainted and was sent to the hospital. The initial medical exam indicated that an aneurism had caused cerebral hemorrhaging, which is very dangerous. My mother asked my grandparents and my father to recite, “Falun Dafa is good” and to ask Teacher for help. The next day, the doctor said that there was no aneurism and that my aunt could go home. Teacher provided us with a miracle once again. The event caused my father to agree to withdrawing from the CCP. (In the past my father did not want to listen to facts about Dafa and he did not know that I was a practitioner.)
Before I was born, my mother and her parents were already practicing Falun Dafa. When I was a child, I used to dream about Teacher with a Law Wheel keeping me company and I would wake up smiling. I remember one special dream very clearly. I saw a large sliding board about 15 stories high. A lot of people, including me, were climbing up the board. After reaching the top, some people below said that it was fun to slide down. Many people slid down and left. I slid down too, but it did not feel good. So I decided to climb back up once more. Fewer people joined me this time on the way up. Furthermore, every step I took was quite difficult, and the anxiety woke me up. I felt pretty bad and did not know what the dream meant. Now, I believe that this is the ladder to heaven that Teacher has given us. It is regrettable that some of them slid down and left.
This is the first time I have written an article, and I did it with the encouragement of fellow practitioners to share my understanding of the Fa. All of us came for the Fa. May all young practitioners remember our historic mission and do what we should as Dafa disciples.
My level of understanding is limited. Please point out anything that is improper.
