(Minghui.org) I began practicing Falun Dafa at the end of 2012. I’ve endured with Master Li’s protection, but I feel I have not cultivated well.
Master said:
“Yesterday a reporter asked me, “What has made you the happiest in your whole life?” Of course, my whole life has been devoted to this one thing. I said, as to matters of ordinary people, there’s nothing that would make me happiest, but when I hear or see students sharing their experiences, that is when I feel most gratified.” (Teaching the Fa at the Conference in the Midwest-U.S.)
I cried when I read this because I have cultivated for more than seven years, yet I never submitted an experience sharing paper. Considering that Master has blessed me for so many years, I wrote this article.
Each tribulation I experienced when I started to practice felt like a life and death test.
My husband beat me severely many times to try to force me to give up my practice. I never fought back or talked back. He took me to the police station many times. He even conspired with the 610 Office in an attempt to have me sent to a brainwashing center.
I told him firmly, “I won’t go, period!”
I said to Master, “I won’t go to the brainwashing center. I have to let people know the truth to help save them.” I also told the old forces, “I won’t go to the brainwashing center. What you say counts for nothing. Master makes the decisions, and I only listen to him.”
My righteous thoughts were strong at that time. Every time he took me to the police station, I was able to walk away with Master’s merciful help.
When I first started to practice Dafa, one day my husband said to me over and over, “I must kill you today, even if I end up paying for it with my life.” He then locked my small barbershop from the inside.
The shop was on the street level and had a glass door, so people could see what was happening from outside. My husband took a kitchen knife and held it to my throat.
I stood still and closed my eyes to send righteous thoughts until he put down the knife. Then he started to hit me.
People gathered outside to watch. A neighbor repeatedly banged on the door and implored my husband to stop beating me.
He ignored all this and continued to beat me. He was clearly being influenced by evil factors.
It was early winter, and I laid on the cold tile floor for two hours. Except for silently reciting the formula for sending righteous thoughts, I kept thinking about Master’s words:
“When it is difficult to endure, try to endure it. When it looks impossible and is said to be impossible, give it a try and see if it is possible.” (Lecture Nine, Zhuan Falun)
I felt my arms and legs were gone, leaving me with a little thought. I also felt neither cold nor pain while lying on the floor. I knew Master endured the pain for me. Later, when I learned the Fa in this regard, I was very emotional.
Shortly after that incident, my husband again called the police to arrest me for practicing Dafa. He turned over my Dafa book to the police as evidence.
He reported me to the police many times, giving me opportunities to tell them the truth about Falun Dafa.
I dreamed about floods, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions when I started to practice Dafa. In the dream, many people fled, including me. Master hinted that I should bring my son with me. Out of fear and sentimentality, I didn’t want him to endure hardship.
My son asked me, “Mom, what country is Master Li in?” I told him Master was in America.
He replied, “I must do well in school so I can go to America to study in the future. Father won't be able to control me when I’m there. I will cultivate and so will my wife, my child, and my whole family.”
I told him that many Falun Dafa practitioners were imprisoned in 2013. He said, “I want to be the president of the country when I grow up and let all of the practitioners out of jail. I will let the whole nation practice Falun Dafa.”
He was nine years old at that time. I cried when he said that.
Why should I be afraid? What was I afraid of? I immediately let my son read Zhuan Falun.
It took him three days to finish the first two lectures of Zhuan Falun. During this time, Master healed his stomach pain.
His third eye opened and he could communicate with plants and animals, which allowed me to witness many miracles. When I worked in my barbershop, he sent righteous thoughts to support me when I was telling my customers about the persecution.
When my husband learned our son had started to cultivate, he hit us with a leather belt.
He also smashed the barbershop mirror and other things in the shop. I believe a neighbor called the police after hearing all the commotion, and all three of us were taken to the police station.
The police learned that both my son and I practiced Falun Dafa. They called the 610 Office and the local neighborhood committee and told them to handle it.
When the 610 Office agents showed up, they led us to a room with a torture chair.
I was not afraid. The police moved a chair, and I sat down with my son sitting on my lap.
A police officer began questioning me, “Do you practice Falun Dafa? Do you know that it is illegal to practice Falun Dafa?”
I said, “Yes, practicing Falun Dafa enables one to stay healthy, to be a good person in line with Truthfulness-Compassion-Forbearance.”
Then I asked him, “I neither steal, nor rob, nor kill. May I ask you which law and regulation I have violated? Please tell me.” The officer was silent.
“Since I practice Falun Dafa, I have done many good deeds. I give a discount to the elderly and the young in my salon. I never fight or argue with my neighbors.”
The officer listened, couldn’t manage to reply, and walked out. Two women from the neighborhood committee then came in. I quickly pressed the palm of my son’s hand, signaling him to send righteous thoughts. He nodded.
The women came in and said, “Do you know that the state does not allow you to practice Falun Dafa? You should stop since the state does not allow it.”
I explained to them that Falun Dafa teaches us to be good and gave a few examples. I told them how I stayed in the hospital to take care of my father-in-law when he had surgery for esophageal cancer. I told about how I gave a gold ring as a 60th birthday gift to my mother-in-law. And, since my husband never did housework at home, I did it all.
Then I told them about how I also helped my son study hard, and as a result, he ranked among the top two students in his class.
The woman from the neighborhood committee yelled at me, with one hand on her hip and one finger pointing at me, but I didn't raise my voice. Finally, the other woman suggested they leave since they couldn’t convince me. My son and I were left alone.
The police later came in and told us to go home. At the gate, the director of the neighborhood committee and two officials came out with my husband. The director suggested my husband cook me a good meal. My husband said he didn’t know how to cook.
I began to tell them how I had always done the household chores. The director said, “We all know you are good.”
My husband and I later divorced. I found a job outside of town and worked in a beauty salon for four years.
I told my customers, all the employees, and the director of the company board the facts about Falun Dafa and proudly told them that I practiced it.
Someone from Shanghai City who knew me through the internet reported me during this time. The Shanghai 610 Office called my supervisor and told them to fire me for my belief.
I told my supervisor the truth about Falun Dafa, kept sending righteous thoughts, and meanwhile, adjusted myself according to the Fa. My supervisor later told me, “You are right. We all know that you are good, treat work seriously, and treat everyone nicely. They are really unreasonable.”
This supervisor took maternity leave, and a new boss was hired. The Shanghai 610 Office called my new boss to pressure her to fire me, threatening to shut down the beauty salon if she didn’t.
I explained to her what I had said to the previous supervisor and added, “If my presence affects your shop negatively, I can quit.”
She said, “Oh, you can’t leave. At the employees’ meeting this afternoon, you are going to get an award in recognition of your skills and service. How could we let you leave? The next time they call, I will turn them down. We can’t fire such an excellent employee. I’ll tell them, ‘No more calls.’”
I had no attachment to the job, so there was no excuse the old forces could use against me.
I have enlightened to this in my present realm: One has to improve one’s character and let go of attachments to pass all tests and tribulations.