(Minghui.org) The 2017 Japan Falun Dafa Cultivation Experience Sharing Conference was held on September 2 in Saitama, near Tokyo.

Master Li Hongzhi, the founder of Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, sent a congratulatory letter to the conference. He wrote,

"Dafa disciples are the hope of the future, and shoulder the historic responsibility of saving sentient beings."

He also reminded practitioners,

"It is imperative that Dafa disciples study the Fa well if they are to fulfill their tremendous missions. All of this can only be done, and accomplished successfully, when you cultivate yourselves well." ("To the Fa Conference in Japan")

Japan Falun Dafa Experience Sharing Conference on September 2, 2017

Practitioners present their papers on stage.

Twenty-one practitioners presented papers on their experiences in cultivating themselves with the principles of Falun Dafa and raising awareness about the persecution of the practice in China.

Promoting Shen Yun

Ms. Inagaki has been practicing Falun Dafa for more than 10 years. She often attended various events in order to introduce Shen Yun Performing Arts to more predestined people. Ms. Inagaki said the VIPs she met included the Prime Minster's wife, a renowned conductor, university professors, corporate managers and the former president of the Rotary Club. Many of them went to see Shen Yun.

In addition, as a member of Tian Guo Marching Band, Ms. Inagaki has participated in more than 90 performances worldwide, including India, Hong Kong, the United States and other places since 2008. Ms. Inagaki said that she felt that she had learned a lot from these overseas activities which enabled her to keep a good cultivation state and be more diligent.

Helping People and Raising Awareness in Kumamoto's Earthquake-Stricken Areas

Ms. Ogawa who lives in Kumamoto talked about her experience of participating in disaster relief activities and introducing Falun Gong after the earthquake took place in Kumamoto last year. For the past seven months, she took part in rescue activities in the daytime, and attended disaster relief seminars held by the Japanese Cabinet Office.

She said, "We made use of the noontime break to do the Falun Gong exercises with people who were interested and tell them about the practice. We followed the principles of Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance, and left a good impression on people. We obtained support from city government as we often went to shelters to introduce Falun Gong. We have been able to display Falun Gong informational materials at 19 community centers in the city, and administrative departments also support our efforts to hold Falun Gong-related activities."

Ms. Ogawa said that looking back at the seven months since the onset of the earthquake, as Dafa disciples, we calmly faced things we encountered, based on Master's Fa principles.

Another practitioner, Ms. Ashiro, who also lives in Kumamoto and has practiced Falun Dafa for 15 years spent weekends collecting signatures in support of bringing to justice the chief perpetrator Jiang Zemin for his initiating and directing the persecution of Falun Gong in China.

She said that she was initially pleased to see many young people sign the petition. She was soon aware that she was attached to the number of signatures collected and failed to look within when encountering problems. She began looking within after getting upset by some negative reactions when asking people to sign the petition. She understood, "Only by looking within amid this kinds of tempering, can I let go of my attachments and improve my xinxing." She also realized that these people were arranged to approach her to learn about Falun Gong.

Making Phone Calls to People in China

Ms. Ayana began practicing Falun Gong 18 years ago after she witnessed how her mother had had more than a dozen illnesses cured by practicing Falun Gong. She also experienced the persecution the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) imposed upon Falun Gong practitioners in China. Her mother was arrested and detained many times, forced to stay away from home to avoid the persecution, and sentenced to prison.

After she and her mother came to Japan, they still wanted to do their best to help their fellow Chinese understand the truth about Dafa.

Ms. Ayana joined a team that makes phone calls to people in China in 2010 and worked as a coordinator. She understood, "A coordinator is not meant to be an official, but to serve for everyone. I should be a person who is selfless."

While making calls to China, she often met people who had been deceived the CCP's lies, which was a test for her and whether she could maintain a compassionate heart.

Another practitioner Ms. Xu, a Korean who also makes phone calls to Chinese people in China initially couldn't speak Chinese well, but she was determined to continue with the effort. Once a retired police chief received her phone call and listened to her and agreed to quit the Communist Party. The police chief finally said, "You're the 7th (practitioner) who has called me, and you're the worst of all regarding your (spoken Chinese), but I feel you're really sincere, so I believe you."

Truth Clarification with Kindness and Wisdom at Tourist Sites

Ms. Fu who began practicing Falun Gong with her mother 20 years ago when she was six years old. Every day, she goes to Asakusa, Tokyo, a tourist site where Chinese tourists go to talk to the tourists about Falun Gong and the persecution.

She said that practitioners man the tourist site despite the weather, because they want to help more Chinese people learn the facts and see through the CCP's lies.

Another practitioner, Ms. Fujino, who also does truth clarification at a tourist site shared her understanding, "Do not argue, and act with wisdom." She would not be affected or upset even when she came across tourists who were deceived by the CCP's propaganda and did not give her a chance to speak.

She said, "Once a tourist kept speaking with me in a tone of teaching me a lesson, even not allowing me to cut in, but I was not angry. Finally, I got a chance when he said that none of what we practitioners had talked about was right. I replied, 'I indeed know less than you, so please take a look at this special edition, and if you see anything inappropriate, please point it out to us at the next tourist site." The tourist then took the material and said, "Ok, I can review it, then."

Ms. Fu said, "I often offer a sentence of blessing to tourists no matter how harsh their attitudes are. It's from the bottom of my heart, because only by being safe and sound, can they be likely to hear the facts next time, and have an opportunity to be saved. I also hope that they can feel the compassion of Dafa disciples, let down their guards, and do not miss the opportunity at the next tourist site."