(Minghui.org) There was a loud knock on my third floor apartment door on April 1, 2015. It was the elderly man, in his 90s, who lives on the first floor of my building. He asked me if I could help him learn Falun Gong. This put me in a terrible dilemma.
He was of poor health and of old age, so I assumed that it would be difficult for him to learn the exercises. Moreover, how could I deal with his family if something went wrong when he was practicing the exercises? Yet, how could I turn down a request for help coming from a pure heart? Maybe it was predestined and I needed to help him.
Just at that moment, I remembered what Master, said, “The cultivation is up to you, gong is up to the master.” (Zhuan Falun)
I realized that my duty as a practitioner is to help anyone who wants to learn Falun Gong. How could I put myself first? I had to put my wrong thoughts aside and help this man.
I told him that Master came to this human world to help people return to their origins, rather than heal illness. As long as we truly cultivate and improve ourselves, Master would help us. Becoming a good person also helps to recover from illnesses.
As a practitioner one will learn to be a good person and be far better than a role model. I asked him in a loud voice, given his poor hearing, if he wanted to follow Master’s teachings and become a good person. He smiled and nodded with a look of open pleasure.
I taught him the first exercise. Despite a great deal of repeated practice, he had difficulties. He was unable to stretch his hand and remember what had just been taught. I had second thoughts, but his optimism and earnest attitude in learning the exercise made me ashamed. I became more patient and he almost got the hang of it. Then I escorted him to his apartment downstairs.
When he returned the next day, I played for him the Exercise Instruction DVD “The Great Consummation Way of Falun Dafa.” He started to learn the exercise in front of the television screen, following strictly the instructions. Eventually, he could perform Exercise One by himself without any prompt.
We then studied the Fa together for two hours before I realized we had read only 10 pages. I became anxious, for I had no idea when we could finish reading “Lecture One” of Zhuan Falun, the main book of Falun Gong, if we continued at such a pace.
It then occurred to me that Falun Gong was extraordinary. Wasn’t this a xinxing test for me? How could I give up helping this enthusiastic man. Thus, I told myself to keep going.
He returned again on the third day to learn the exercises and study the Fa with me. I was very pleased with the progress he made that day, much faster than the first day. My confidence had dramatically increased as the elderly man was learning better and faster each day.
On the fifth day I suggested to his son that he buy his dad a DVD player so that he could watch the Exercise Instruction DVD at home and did not have to climb the stairs to my apartment every day.
His daughter-in-law threatened, “If you continue to practice Falun Gong, you’ll be arrested and locked up. If so, I won’t bring you food every day to the detention center. That’s for sure!”
The older man answered: “How can they arrest people like me, who neither steal nor rob? So I am not afraid! Practicing Falun Gong is the only thing I want to do.”
A few days later, he came to my apartment. He handed me a thank-you gift and said, “I’m grateful for your help! My lower back pain has stopped, and my headache is gone. Moreover, I can sleep and eat much better. My son demanded that I get a caretaker but now there is no need.”
I said that he had to thank Master who helped him return to good health and not me. He kept saying: “Thank You, Master! Thank You, Master!”
I escorted him back to his apartment and made it clear that practitioners could not collect money or gifts from anyone who wanted to learn Falun Gong. Instead, we should help those who wish to learn this cultivation practice.
Before saying goodbye, I made sure to explain the facts about Falun Gong to the rest of his family.