(Minghui.org) I'm 74 years old and I began practicing Falun Dafa in September 1997. Before I began practicing, I had rheumatoid arthritis. Sometimes the pain was so unbearable that I couldn't sit up. I was addicted to smoking and drinking. I smoked three packages of cigarettes a day. I couldn't get through the day without drinking. I repeatedly tried to quit my bad habits, but couldn't.
Master Li said,
"I advise everyone that if you truly want to cultivate you should quit smoking from now on, and it is guaranteed that you can quit." (Lecture Seven, Zhuan Falun)
After I read this I thought, "I truly want to cultivate." When I had that sincere wish, I was able to stop smoking and drinking. My rheumatoid arthritis also disappeared. My hot temper calmed down. I knew this was the power of Dafa.
Inspired by my positive changes, my wife also began practicing. Within two months her migraine headaches, gallbladder stones, herniated lumbar disc, and other ailments disappeared. She was able to easily walk upstairs and lift heavy objects. She felt stronger and more physically fit than when she was young.
Our children witnessed our positive changes. When the persecution began they encouraged us to continue practicing. Their trust in Dafa never wavered.
In 2000, my daughter helped me distribute Master's new lecture, “The Knowing Heart” to fellow practitioners. Our other children helped when I made truth-clarification materials, including my daughter-in-law and grandchildren.
My eldest daughter-in-law ran a business and used paper bills that had information about Falun Dafa printed on them to help clarify the truth. I clarified the truth to her friends and helped them withdraw from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) organizations when they came to our house.
My eldest son has two children. The older one is eighteen years old and the younger one is twelve. When the older one sees signs that slander Master Li (the founder) or Falun Dafa, he removes them. He likes to recite poems from Hong Yin. He's also helped his classmates withdraw from the CCP. The younger grandson also likes to recite Hong Yin and listens to the recordings of Master's lectures. He's also helped several classmates withdraw from the CCP. He studies hard and does well in school. My four other grandchildren can all recite Hong Yin.
I Learn to Produce Truth-Clarification Materials
The CCP began persecuting Falun Dafa in July 1999. I was taken to the police station several times and interrogated but under Master's protection, I safely returned home. In October 2000, in order to avoid being persecuted, I was forced to leave home and roam about the streets. I moved six times from 2000 to 2002 in three different cities.
In April 2001 my home was ransacked and both my wife and I were taken to the police station. The police attempted to force us to give them practitioners' names and addresses, but we didn't cooperate. Two days later, my wife was released but they kept me for another month. I clarified the truth to the prisoners. They all felt it was wrong to arrest Falun Dafa practitioners and they hoped that I would be released soon. I also clarified the truth to the prison guards including the section chief. The chief said he understood and said that I should continue practicing at home. Under Master's protection and blessing, I was able to leave the detention center.
In 2002, I moved to the city where my son lived. Many people there had been deceived by the CCP. I arranged to have truth-clarification materials sent to me from home. Twice the materials were spotted by the shipping station but I was able to retrieve them with Master's help.
In 2006, with fellow practitioners' help, I learned how to produce truth-clarification materials. Our materials production site has been running smoothly. I learned to produce various materials to meet the needs of practitioners in my area. This has also offered me many cultivation opportunities, and my temperament has improved. All of this is due to Master’s protection and blessing.
No Grudges
In 2010, just as I prepared to produce calendars, I experienced unexpected interference. It all began when a practitioner was abducted while distributing truth-clarification materials. She was put in a brainwashing class. Because she knew me she disclosed my information.
One evening, a friend contacted me and warned me to pay attention to safety because someone reported me for practicing Falun Dafa. The next morning, the community security officer asked my son if I practiced. He said if I did, I shouldn't continue; otherwise, he had to report me to the police.
My son told him, “My father used to be very sick but he was fine after he began practicing Falun Dafa. He's almost 70 years old now. He still rides his motorcycle to shop for food. I'm his son. Should I tell him to stop practicing? You shouldn't report him. That will be good for you as well as my family.”
When my son returned home, he asked me to temporarily move the equipment and Dafa books. I thought I shouldn't stay in his home anymore, so I went back to my hometown. I sent righteous thoughts with my wife every day and asked Master to help us. When I sent righteous thoughts, I added the thought that the security officer shouldn't interfere with or persecute practitioners. I wanted to save him. I should have clarified the truth to him before this happened. It was my fault. It showed that I was selfish.
Ten days later, my son's friend returned from a business trip. My son told him what happened. Since he already knew the truth, he went straight to the security officer and found out that nothing had yet been reported to the central office. He told the security officer, “Falun Dafa is good. The elderly man (meaning me) is a good person. Don't harm him.”
The officer decided not to report me to the central office. When I later moved back I was able to get to know him a little better. I clarified the truth to him and helped him withdraw from the CCP. He was happy and thanked me. That tribulation was avoided under Master's protection.
I didn't have resentment towards the practitioner who reported me. My only concern was that there didn't seem to be a suitable place for us to make truth-clarification materials. I asked Master for help. When I examined my cultivation I saw where I needed to improve. I also realized that I was the only person who could make the truth-clarification calendars in our local area. It was difficult, however, to bring them to practitioners outside our area. I decided to teach a few practitioners on how to do it.
In the beginning, practitioners felt that it was hard to make calendars and worried that they wouldn't be able to buy supplies. I taught them the technical part and bought them the necessary supplies. I told them where to purchase what they needed so that they could become independent. I also took care of those who needed financial support. Thus five practitioners learned to produce materials. Together with those I made, the total amount of calendars produced this year was more than double than in previous years. This finally met the needs of practitioners.
Opportunities to Improve My Character
I usually rode my motorcycle to buy supplies to make truth-clarification materials. Each time, it usually took two hours for a round trip. When the battery was fully charged the motorcycle could make two trips.
One day in 2015, the motorcycle suddenly lost power and could only make one trip. I thought the battery was getting old and needed to be replaced. I didn’t look at it from a cultivation perspective or think about why it happened.
A few days later I suddenly realized: Wasn't this a hint from Master? The motorcycle couldn't be charged – didn't this mean that I needed to improve and expand my capacity? I thought, “I'll look inward and see where I can do better.” Three days later, the battery was back to normal.
Last February I discovered that water was leaking from the gas boiler we'd recently purchased. Neither my wife nor I knew how to work the furnace, and my son and his wife weren't home. So I asked Master for help. We took the opportunity to look inside. Within ten minutes, everything was back to normal.
Master's Immense Compassion
Before I began practicing Falun Dafa there were only five people in the family, but our income was barely enough to cover our expenses. Now our financial circumstances are better and our family has expanded to fourteen members. We opened a small business and now the company has expanded and is a big company. We did not own a home before, and now we have eight houses and a 500-square-meter office. We didn't have any vehicles before but now we own six. Our family lives in harmony and everyone is happy. Our two sons and one daughter, together with their spouses help run our company We are able to make money ethically and our company is growing steadily.
Nothing extraordinary happened during my twenty-two years of cultivation. My firm belief in Master and Dafa is unwavering. No matter how vicious the persecution is, with Master's guidance, looking inside and removing my shortcomings always helps us move forward steadfastly. We've been able to overcome many tribulations.
I still have many attachments, such as seeking comfort, holding grudges, being selfish, relying on others, lust, jealousy, and so on. Sometimes I don't act like a practitioner and my tone of voice is unkind. I know I need to cultivate more diligently.
We are the most fortunate because our grand and compassionate Master is always watching over us. Under Master's protection, my family has grown happily and steadily. I hope that those who still need to learn the truth will be receptive and that more people can be saved.
