A Wayward Teen Becomes an Upright Young Man

(Minghui.org) Looking at 27-year-old Bogdan today, no would believe that this polite and soft-spoken young man dropped out of school and was once addicted to drugs. His parents kicked him out of the house because of his bad behavior, and he became a homeless vagrant who made a living by stealing cars. He was shot by the police at the scene of a car theft and the bullet hit his left arm, fracturing his ulna. He was then arrested and sent to prison.

A Fresh Start

After being released from prison, Bogdan was walking on the street in 2021 when a woman handed him a petition asking the international community to help stop the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) forced organ harvesting from Falun Dafa practitioners. Bogdan immediately signed it. He recalled, “Even though I took drugs, stole cars, and did all kinds of evil, I still had a trace of conscience: the CCP was stealing organs from living people and then killing them, so it must be stopped.”

Bogdan had dropped out of school and had little knowledge of the current state of the world. He was surprised by what the woman told him about the crimes of the CCP: “I had no idea that China, an ancient and great country, was under the rule of the Chinese Communist Party, which violates human rights,” Bogdan recalled. The woman then handed him a flier about Falun Dafa. He said, “I thought at the time that I wanted to learn this practice because it would look cool to meditate. I didn’t expect that I’d found a profound cultivation method that would completely change my personality and life.”

Four years later, those who knew Bogdan back then have new respect for him. He no longer smokes, drinks, takes drugs, or commits crimes. He transformed from a muddle-headed teenager to a cultivator who values morality and kindness.

Reading Zhuan Falun

Bogdan reads Zhuan Falun, Falun Dafa’s main book.

After he began practicing Falun Dafa, Bogdan’s thinking changed and he felt like a new person. “I originally thought that once I learned how to meditate, my IQ and concentration would improve, and the police wouldn’t be able to catch me if I stole a car. But after I read Zhuan Falun, I realized for the first time the consequences of doing evil: I was hurting myself and my family. I must follow the principles of Truthfulness, Compassion, and Forbearance and be considerate,” he said.

Bogdan was inspired by the book and decided to quit drugs. Without going to a drug rehabilitation center, his drug addiction was gone within six months. He found that after practicing the five sets of Falun Dafa exercises, he no longer had any withdrawal symptoms.

Bogdan had side effects from the gunshot wound, and experienced severe pain in his arms, shoulders and back. However, when he read Zhuan Falun his pain disappeared.

He fell in love with Chinese culture after he began reading Zhuan Falun, and he also read about Chinese history and mythology. He found that the legends of emperors, generals, and talented scholars always revolve around conscience and morality. For example, Yue Fei was loyal, Laozi was wise, Kangxi was virtuous, and the Monkey King was brave. Bogdan aspired to be a person of noble character.

Bogdan began to learn Chinese by himself. One year later, he was able to read Zhuan Falun in Chinese. He has now studied Chinese for three years and can read a wide range of books in Chinese and also speaks fluent Mandarin.

Bogdan (second from left) and his family.

Bogdan’s mother was delighted when she heard that he practiced Falun Dafa. She always hoped that her son would be kind to others, and told him that she prayed for him. She feels that the divine responded by guiding Bogdan to find Falun Dafa. His sister is also very happy about Bogdan's changes, and said, “I have a brother again. My brother is back.”

Being Kind and Compassionate to Others

Bogdan found a decent job as a cook in a restaurant. His supervisor was addicted to alcohol and often borrowed money from him. Because he practiced Falun Dafa, Bogdan was kindhearted and always lent him money. Over time, the amount his supervisor owed him increased.

The supervisor not only borrowed money from him, but also borrowed money from all his coworkers, who complained that the supervisor never paid it back. Bogdan realized that this could not continue. He didn’t complain, but went straight to his supervisor and told him, “You have to stop borrowing money from the workers. It’s not right.” However, the supervisor targeted Bogdan in return by being sarcastic and angry with him. Bogdan just smiled and said, “I don’t take it seriously. Because I know that ordinary people experience much more pain than you see.”

The next time his supervisor asked Bogdan for money, he kindly but firmly told him, “If you borrow money from your coworkers again, the boss will find out sooner or later, and you’ll lose your job. You can’t keep taking other people’s money, hurting them, and living beyond your means. I won’t complain to the boss, but you must know that you will bear the consequences of your actions.”

Bogdan then explained the principles he learned from Dafa. “Before, I stole cars and took drugs. Everyone told me I was wrong, but I never listened. After I began practicing Falun Dafa, I understood that good is rewarded and evil meets with retribution, and karma really exists. When you take something from others that doesn’t belong to you, you are losing virtue, and you will pay the price.”

The supervisor wept after hearing this. He said, “Others treat me ruthlessly, but no one ever persuaded me with reason like you have. I owe you the most money, but you treat me the most gently. How can you talk to me calmly without any resentment or hatred?” Moved by Bogdan’s kindness, the supervisor realized that he couldn’t continue borrowing money.

The supervisor changed after that talk, and started to repay his coworkers. Bogdan told him that he didn’t need to pay back the money he owed him, but to pay off the money he owed to other coworkers first. In the end, the supervisor paid off the debt and became Bogdan’s friend.

Accepting Criticism

Bogdan does the fifth Falun Dafa exercise.

Before he began practicing Falun Dafa, a fortune teller told Bogdan that he had a guardian angel with great powers. At the time, Bogdan scoffed, “What guardian angel?” His drug-taking friends committed crimes, but they weren’t punished. But whenever Bogdan did something wrong, the police caught him. Not only was he shot, but all the items he stole were confiscated.

After practicing Dafa, Bogdan realized that it was the angel’s protection that allowed him to be punished every time he made a mistake—he was able to pay for his sins, and it helped him understand that mistakes have consequences and he must take the right path. However, his friends, who committed evil without restraint, were going down a path of no return and faced serious consequences.

Bogdan’s family and friends often praise him. When this happens, Bogdan reminds himself of Master’s teaching,

“For a cultivator, all the frustrations he comes across among everyday people are trials, and all the compliments he receives are tests.” (“A Cultivator is Naturally Part of It,” Essentials for Further Advancement)”

“When I hear praise, I always remind myself not to be complacent. In fact, I’d rather hear others point out my shortcomings. As a cultivator, I must use higher moral standards to demand of myself. I thank Master for allowing me to take the path of cultivation and become a life that is happy from the heart!”