(Minghui.org) To learn how to use a computer, install an operating system, or learn how to make use of other technological advances on one's 50s or 60s seems pretty far-fetched. Yet on our team, two older Falun Dafa practitioners who had little education learned to master some computer skills and became the backbone of their local group of practitioners.
Refusing to Give up Despite Lack of Education
I am 60 years old and was born in a mountain village. I only went to school for three months.
I helped another practitioner get in touch with someone who could install a computer operating system. That practitioner told me that I could learn to do it, too, but I thought that would be almost impossible. He said, “As long as you can persevere, you can learn it.” I agreed to try, despite my very limited education.
One has to know Chinese phonetics before one can tackle computer literacy, so I asked my husband for help. But he turned his head and pretended that he could not remember anything useful.
His response did not deter me. I bought a chart that showed how to teach phonetics to a child. I began with the sounds for “Falun Dafa is wonderful!” Whenever I walked or waited for a bus, I listened to recordings of the phonetics.
When a fellow practitioner saw that I truly wanted to learn, she agreed to teach me. It took about half a month to learn the system. My husband said, “Dafa is truly amazing--see how fast you learned it!”
In the beginning when I was learning how to use a computer, I could not understand what I was taught, nor could I understand what was written in the computer manuals, but I did not give up.
“No matter how long it takes,” I thought, “as long as a practitioner is willing to show me, I will not give up. This will benefit my fellow practitioners, too. As long as this is something Teacher arranged for me to do, I will do it.”
Finally, with Teacher's help, we installed the first system in a computer. In time I could understand the computer manual, too.
Practitioner Yan and I have cooperated very well with each another when we installed computer systems. Soon enough, Yan and I upgraded the operating systems for our local practitioners from Windows XP to Windows 7 and included the security features.
Producing Congratulatory Cards
When we were clarifying the facts about Dafa, we ran into several practitioners who wanted to learn how to make congratulatory cards, but they could not find anyone to teach them how. This reminded me that I also wanted to make a card for Teacher.
Another practitioner told me that I needed to be more computer savvy to do that, but I eliminated doubt from my mind and mastered how to make a card. I also understood other practitioners’ hopes, because I had been in their shoes before, so I decided to teach them.
They put their hearts into it, and I showed them step by step. They eventually succeeded and made congratulatory cards for Teacher.
Do What Is Most Important in Your Area
Because I was busy learning computer-related skills, I did not go out to talk to people about Dafa anymore.
“I am concerned,” I said to a fellow practitioner who taught computer literacy. “Because I am learning computer technology, I can't go out and talk to people about Dafa anymore. I don't want to sacrifice this task: what should I do?”
He replied, “You have to think of what is needed most in your area. If most of you go out to talk to people about Dafa, you should study computer technology. If it's the other way around, then you should go out and clarify the facts about Dafa. If you just harmonize with the overall body and do what's needed, then it's fine.” His words encouraged me.
Key to Fixing Computer Depends on Fixing Xinxing
A practitioner brought her computer to me and said that it was broken. When I turned it on, I realized that it was because she had formatted her hard disc, erasing the operating system. I told her, “We only installed this computer for you two days ago. Now you'll have to leave it with us to re-install everything for you.” I then went out to clarify the facts.
Afterwards, I noticed that I had the attachment of feeling irritated, and I lacked kindness, so I sent forth righteous thoughts to eliminate these attachments.
Suddenly, a thought popped into my mind: “Would it work if I just copied the system from my hard disc to her hard disc?” I felt that Teacher had enlightened me. When I tried this, it worked.
I realized, “The key to fixing one's computer lies in fixing my xinxing.”
Believing in Dafa Solved the Problem
On one computer we could not get the driver installed. I talked to a few computer-savvy practitioners, but they could not solve the problem. Even technicians at a few computer stores could not resolve it.
Suddenly, I thought about “benevolent solutions” from Teacher's Fa. I talked to the computer, saying, “Everything is a life. You also came for the Fa. If you don't want to harmonize with the Fa, we have to give you to an ordinary person.”
I paused and then continued: “However, we still hope that you can harmonize with the Fa, so you can have a good future. Please remember 'Falun Dafa is wonderful! Truth-Compassion-Forbearance is wonderful!'” We reinstalled the system again, and the computer worked.
Prioritize What Needs Doing
A certain application needed upgrading when practitioners began suing the former Chinese dictator, Jiang Zemin. Practitioner Yan and I were tied up with the upgrades when I sensed I was off track. Teacher said:
“Of course it’s good to do things better, but even if something is not done that well, don’t hold it up from being completed. Some things can still have an impact even when they’re not done that well. If they are done better, of course they will be even more effective, but don’t hold things up and cause them to have no impact at all.” (“Fa Teaching Given at the 2015 New York Fa Conference”)
That was the push I needed for me to write my criminal complaint. I was having a lot of interference at that time, which made me feel very tired. I wanted to cultivate my perseverance and eliminate the attachment to fear, which was causing me to waver. I mailed my complaint right after I prepared it. The confirmation receipt came the next day.
I Did Not Give Up
I am 59 years old, and my education ended at junior high school. I am the youngest in our group of practitioners. Now I am referred to as a practitioner with technical skills. As a matter of fact, all I did was to use the knowledge that I learned from a website, followed examples set by fellow practitioners, and passed them on to other practitioners.
When Microsoft upgraded its system from Windows XP to Windows 7 in 2014, we needed to do the upgrade on our computers. Practitioners got into groups to do the upgrade at the same time.
However, it took time to help everyone, because not everyone had the same level of skill and had various difficulties in learning what needed to be done.
Because I did not keep up with Fa study, I could not elevate in my understanding of the Fa, and I resorted to using a human approach. I had reached my limit and could not make further progress. Due to other practitioners' compassion and understanding, however, our group still moved forward.
Because I fell behind in Fa study, I also experienced some physical interference. I felt that I could no longer teach the training course and wanted to give it up.
One practitioner said, “Everyone was paying a lot of attention during your course, and a lot of us are waiting to get our systems upgraded. Do you really want to give up? I think that the evil would like you to do that.”
He looked at me with eyes full of hope, encouragement, and understanding, and I decided to carry on with the training courses.
Teacher said,
“The Fa can break all attachments, the Fa can destroy all evil, the Fa can shatter all lies, and the Fa can strengthen righteous thoughts.” (“Drive Out Interference,” Essentials for Further Advancement II)
In time, I began to keep up with Fa study, and my physical condition improved. Through practitioners joint efforts, we made a breakthrough and learned how to upgrade the system. Eventually, everyone who had not given up became a technician.
Category: Improving Oneself
